• In Love and War

    World War 3 started when I was just 16. The year 2012, the date, December 21st. It's ironic that the prophesized day of the apocalypse end up being a start of another war; one that will last for over ten years. I remember once when a teacher of mine told me that as soon as we turn 18, we'll be quickly drafted into the war. Doesn't matter the gender, race, or status, and in the end, he was right. I never saw him again after that.

    He was probably the first batch of people drafted into the war I mean he was a pretty young teacher, probably in his mid-twenties. I was the first to go out of my friends. I was born in early September, so of course I'll end up being 18 before them. So I left. The next time I saw them was either on the battlefield, or at funerals.

    Over the years my emotions has harden, seeing a dead body no longer made me flinch. The constant nightmares I face when I made my first kill no longer bothered me. Blood was still everywhere, I still have to dodge bodies and bullets just so I can survive. The constant rain made me believe the angels were crying, and sometimes I wonder why. I've given up on my faith a long time ago. I was just a simple human soldier in this chaotic world. The war now lasted a decade; I was 26 and have become a legend among the soldiers.

    The only one who lasted the war since I was drafted, the only one who is constantly known as the lone survivor during a battle. The higher ups constantly praise me for just simply surviving. They even made me colonel and somehow that didn't really make me much different than from a normal soldier. Once I asks them "What's so good about watching your comrades die?" Maybe that's how I caught his attention. The young General Rasui Valentine; just his mere presence will make everyone stiff frozen and in fear. He wasn't particularly cruel, but he was strict and his dark blue eyes were very cold.

    General Valentine was probably a year older than me and I wonder if I could have become a general too if I accepted the promotion that was handed to me. I think he caught me staring at him one time when our eyes met. Like the good soldier I am, I lowered my eyes and probably gave him a slight bow. My head was still down when I felt his presence near mines.

    "Colonel Nightwalker, I've heard interesting stories about you," he said in that deep voice of his and I simply stared straight ahead. "Would you like to come with me?" he asked and that made me surprise that I actually looked up to him. I haven't been surprise since the start of my time here.
    I quickly regain my composure and once again look straight ahead, avoiding his eyes. "Yes sir," I said before he started to walk away and I quietly followed him.

    When we entered his (nicely furnish) office, he quietly sit in his high chair and study me closely. I simply stood still, my face straight and my posture stiff. It lasted for a minute or two before he gestured to the chair in front of him. I didn't hesitate to sit but my body was still stiff. "Relax Colonel," he said but I didn't relent.

    "If you don't mind me asking General…why am I here?" I asked before I felt his eyes looking at me again.

    "There's been talk among the higher ups about you. You've been here since you were 18, survived many battles, ace most of your tests, and many of the missions you've been on wouldn't be successful without you. I just wondered why you aren't a General already," he said as I look up at him staring at his face before I look down slowly.

    "I do not want to be responsible with one hundred thousand lives on my hands." I whispered quietly before he shifted and place his elbows on the desks. "They also say you do not smile and hardly have any feminine charms." He said and I swore he just insulted me.

    "Those are unnecessary considering the situation," I said before I saw him nod his head.

    "You're an interesting woman," he simply said before he open a drawer and pulled out a file.
    Then I realized it was my file, I know I shouldn't be surprised but still. "You see, I was just looking over this a few days ago and I was wondering if you would like to become my assistant," he said and by the tone of his voice I knew he said that as command.

    "I'm perfectly fine as—"

    "You wouldn't have to worry about being on the frontlines. You'll always stay by my side, be a part of top military missions that someone of your status right now wouldn't even know about until their deaths." He started.

    "But…"

    "I'm not really asking you Colonel," he interrupted again and this time I got irritated.

    "Don't you think it's kind of rude to demand a woman to stay by your side?" I ask with a glare and he smirked, being amused. I blink and stared at him hesitantly. I've been surprised a lot today and I completely blame it on the General. There was something about him, something that I know I should be careful about.

    "I thought being treated as a woman in this time is unnecessary?" he said and my glare deepened before he chuckle. I blink, once again surprise. The General chuckled; I tried thinking back when I remember if he ever did that before. Nothing came up; the General was always straight face even among his comrades.

    "You—" I started but I stopped before he stood up and walk over to me before leaning on the desk.

    He was a few inches away from me and I tense once again. I have never been intimate with a guy before, much less being this close to someone. "You are the only one that can do this job Colonel. I'll give you a week to give me your answer." He said before grabbing me by my hand and pulled me up. I flinch before he let go and I slowly walk towards the exit before I stop.

    I turn around to see him looking out the window but he turns his head slightly probably wondering why I haven't left yet. "Why me? Why did you choose me?" I asked before he turned his head back to look at the window.

    "You and I…we're very similar." He told me. That was enough for me to leave.

    It was kind of obvious the General knew I was going to say yes to his offer. He didn't even try to convince me and that made me a bit irritated. But working with him isn't as bad as others thought it was going to be. He doesn't annoy me like other people usually do. He actually does his work efficiently and right on time. He also makes an effort to talk to me even if it's small talk (I even wondered why he even bothers). However we got along fine.

    During the battlefield I am always by his side, he never let me leaves unless it's an emergency. He talks strategies with me always asking for my opinion. I greatly appreciated it because even if I became his assistant, he still respects me as a soldier. We became famous though when we won many battles over time. People stare at us with awe and others spit on the road we walk on. I earn nicknames, most of them inappropriate; just say they call me the General's "dog". The nicknames of course got worst to the point where I was ready to beat the crap out of them. Then one day they all became silent and I wonder what happen to the sudden change. A fellow soldier told me that the General threatened them about the nicknames. I wonder if I should be grateful about it.

    As months pass, I soon became more comfortable around him, even during working hours. Our mood was lighter even if we were in a war. As time went on I started to realize that I might have fallen in love with him. I wasn't stupid to deny it, but I wasn't going to admit it either. Like everything else during a war, it was unnecessary. It was almost a year since I started to working for him when everything changed.

    "Nightwalker, I need to talk to you," he said and I nodded my head and quickly followed him into his office. He grabs files from his desk and quickly handed it to me. I look it over and my eyes widen considerably.

    "They attack the refugee's camps?!" I cried out as he nodded.

    "Three of them, all of them on the East Shore."

    "What are they trying to do?"

    "Probably to get us all riled up, or trying to lessen our defenses,"

    "That's…"

    "What I'm confuse is what they use to attack the refugee's camps,"

    "What?"

    "The few survivors from those camps told us that there was no big machinery, just soldiers with guns. They just keep marching in until they have destroyed everything. If that's true then…" the General once again rummage through his drawers before pulling out another file. I was completely confused and what he was talking about but that all cleared up when he gave the file to me.

    "Experiments on humans to become Super soldiers?" I ask my eyes widening a fraction. "Rasui that's…" I started making the mistake of saying his first name. I didn't notice how he narrowed his
    eyes before he sigh.

    "It's true unfortunately. We need to find out how they're doing it, get to the source and as soon as possible destroy it. We cannot lose this war," he stated before I nodded my head and grip the file tightly in my hand.

    'I guess that means human's rights don't count anymore,' I thought to myself.

    Things change almost too fast and sometimes too slow. The soldiers were train rigorously, to be push to their limits and sometimes they were push over their limits. Many of them couldn't go on because of their bodies, but I have to admit I admire their will. It's like they know that the war is going to end. No one had told them about the Super soldiers are enemies are experimenting on.

    Our reconnaissance team figured out how they were making the soldiers. Apparently the soldiers constantly take this drug from the first day of their training to prepare their body before their brain is implanted with a small computer chip. After that, they have no control, no memories, and probably no conscious. It was like they're robots.

    The news about our enemies' new "weapons" wasn't the only thing that changed. The General has as well. He became more reserved, more…distant. I was starting to get the feeling he was avoiding me and that itself got me irritated. I think it probably showed because most of the people that will be joking around with me stayed very clear. I never mentioned it because seriously, I'm starting to get tired of trying to figure him out. I did my work as I always do, hardly speaking a word to the general besides talking about strategies and work. I mostly took out my stress out on the training grounds where I spar with the few soldiers who had the guts to fight me.

    "Nightwalker is something wrong?" the General asks one day before I blink and turn to him. I shook my head returning to look at my paper.

    "Nothing is wrong General; just go back to your work," I said pushing my glasses that I have been constantly wearing now, up.

    "Nightwalker," he said sternly and I turn around staring at him innocently.

    "Yes General?" I asked.

    "What's wrong?" he asks again.

    "You asked me that before General and I already told you that nothing is wrong," I explained as he narrowed his eyes.

    "Do not get smart with me Nightwalker."

    "I'm not being smart with you. Besides, I'm completely fine, I'm just doing what you want me to do." I can see him raise a brow before it dawn on him and he sigh. "That's not…"

    "Sure it isn't," I said but continued on my work. It was silent before I heard shifting and when I look up the General was right there in front of me. He was leaning down, both his arm at each side of my head and he was glaring. "What?" I asked glad my voice didn't betray what was really going on inside. Completely and utter chaos.

    "You see Nightwalker, you have been very hmmm…annoying,"

    "I am glad that you were able to clear that up, now will you resume—"

    "I'm not done," I sigh before I nodded my head. "Yes general, continued. Please." The narrowing of his eyes told me he heard my sarcasm. "Sometimes I wonder if you were stalking me, at first I thought you were but I found out it was all in my head,"

    "Are you sure you aren't—"

    "Complete that sentence and I'll do something that both of us will regret," that made me shut up. "So I consulted my idiotic friend Lieutenant General Blitz and when I explained it to him he laughed,"

    "You know General, I think you need to consult a doctor instead of Lieutenant General Blitz if you're having hallucinations," I stated and he looked at me clearly annoyed. "So…what is this so call problem of yours that you are even going as far as telling me from the very beginning of how it started?" I ask before he leaned forward and place his head on my shoulders. I visibly tense.

    "You will know very quickly that it's something that a doctor can't cure."

    "Are you dying General?" I asked completely and utterly stupid on my part, I know. "Your heart is beating very fast Aisling," he whispered speaking my first name. This was the third time he said my
    first name, the other times is usually when he's mad at me.

    "What…"

    "You're very good at concealing your emotions; I learn that very quickly since we started working together. But I also notice that if something random comes at you, you're easily surprised."

    "Well I'm use to working at a regular pace," I said cursing his head which is currently on my shoulder and I swore it's moving. "I think that's going to change in the next second," he said and before I can asks what the hell he means his lips was on mines.

    I grudgingly admit he was right; I am easily surprise when something unexpected hits me. I should've expected the unexpected. And this is one of the unexpected, especially when his tongue force its way into my mouth.

    Things yet again change and I was getting horrible angry about it. It was only a few months since the General and I started to (secretly) dating. Well I think that's what all those make-out sessions in his office means. But we were facing bigger problems than finding out where to meet so we can have a formal date. We both knew that an attack on the base was inevitable and that day just came. The General and I was in the office as usual knowing something was up when the door slam open and we saw Lieutenant General Blitz with blood stains on his clothes. He didn't need to tell us what happened.

    The General quickly handed me a gun which I took with grace. I was glad I wasn't wearing my usual uniform which consists of heels and skirts. "Aisling at all times no matter what stay with me," The General said as I nodded.

    "Damn I knew you guys were dating," Blitz said but we both glared at him.
    The red alarm blared widely outside the office and we ran. Blitz was behind us as we knew that a battle was soon to come. A few weeks ago I found out a way to easily defeat the super soldiers when I was sent on a mission much to the General's displeasure. If you have good aim, shoot them in the head. That will immediately kill them. Sometimes I wonder why no one else figured that out yet.

    "Up ahead!" The General warned and I got ready my gun. Blitz made the first move as we took cover behind walls. They have damn machine guns and they shoot like there's no tomorrow. There probably won't but I'm not going to let that stop me. I am so glad I was prepared today. I look up at the pipeline ahead before shooting one of them and the entire area filled with smoke. I look at the General and he knew what I was doing before throwing a grenade into the fray. We waited before a loud explosion was heard and with it disperse the smoke. Blitz looks over and gave us a signal that every one of them is dead or half-dead. We moved on not wanting to stay a second longer before another group came around the corner. The General quickly grabbed me and we turn into another hallway as Blitz shot a couple shots and quickly followed us.

    "We have to get to the exit!" The General said to Blitz as he nodded. "And how exactly are we going to do that?!" Blitz shouted before I pulled on the General's shirt. "Rasui, we need to destroy everything," I said before the two men look at me. We slowed down momentarily as the two listen to what I had to say. "What?"

    "I know they sent in almost half of their damn super soldiers in here. We'll be quickly outnumbered and defeated. I will not let that happen unless they're going down with us," I said but the General sigh. "Aisling the place has important documents and records; we can't just blow it up!"

    "That's why I made copies, isn't that why we have computers? I sent them all to the Pentagon; they should be getting it last night. And for the record, I have them on my wireless data bank as well," I explained as Blitz whistle. "Dang Rasui, your girl is good no wonder you chose her,"

    "Shut up Ryan, and it's still General to you," General said as Blitz put a hand up in defense. "Fine we'll blow it up, but I'm not letting you near the self-destruct button."

    "Why not? I'm capable of smashing the button and hijacking out of here," I complained.

    "No you're not going; sometimes I wonder why I allow you to make it in the first place."

    "For situations like this General," I said and he glowered at me. "I'm going and going alone. You and Blitz will get to the exit and tell any survivors to get their a** out too if they want to live."

    "But—"

    "That's an order Lt. General Nightwalker."

    "Hey, don't start pulling rank on me you idiotic General! What if you don't make it out on time or let's say those zombies like soldiers corner you? What will you do then?" I asked angrily.

    "They won't, but…if I don't make it out, you and Blitz will be immediately promoted as General, each with your own battalion." He said and grabbed his pin to give it to Blitz. "Promise me you'll keep her safe,"

    "General aren't you…alright?" Blitz agreed and I think I glared at him.

    The General then look at me before interlocking our pinkies together. "This may seem childish but when I do come out, I promise that I'll marry you," he said before pulling me in and gave me a hard to explain kiss. I just cannot describe the kiss, it was like the world was going to end and this was like his final good-bye. I blame myself for falling in love with a person like him but I soon felt tears rolling down my face. I haven't cried since my closest friends died. He let go, wiping the tears away and push me to Blitz. He gave me a smile and ran quickly where we came from.

    "Stupid General…" I said before Blitz grabbed my arm and we started running.
    Hours pass since we came outside. I was surprise at the number of survivors and I remember they were Rasui's soldiers; of course they wouldn't die that easily. Everyone was looking for Rasui and they all turn to us expecting us to give them answers. Blitz explained to them and I think all of us prayed to the heavens. I don't remember the last time I prayed this earnestly, but I did just wishing and hoping Rasui will make it out.

    There was an explosion on the west wing and we all look up to the fire that just exploded like a mushroom, then the east wing. There was no sign of Rasui and I clench Blitz's sleeves which he place a hand over mines. The worst just have to happen, because the entire building blew up, lighting up the dark sky as smoke soon filled it afterwards.
    And no one was coming out of the smoke like those damn movies (how much I hate them now).
    "RASUI!"

    2026
    4 years later

    The war ended three years ago with a draw. With my power and support from others, I was able to talk some sense into both sides before they came to a peace treaty. I admit it was hard and a shaky peace treaty but it work. Relief efforts were working all over the world. Feeding the hungry, finding the orphaned, taking care of the homeless. Major monuments were destroyed during the war including the Statue of Liberty. There were people willingly to work to fix it for good enough money.

    After I did my job, I retired from the military and became a housewife (weirdly). I didn't mind it at all though. "Mommy look what I drew!" her voice caught my attention while I was staring out at the fields and I turn to her smiling. Aura, my daughter who unfortunately was born when the war was not yet over. I was glad she wasn't old enough to remember it. She was also a reason why I work so hard to stop it.

    Her beautiful ocean blue eyes sparkle as she showed me a picture she drew. "See! This is mommy, daddy and me!" she said and I smiled. "Aura, whose this?" I ask pointing to a small stick figure in the picture. "That's the baby in mommy's tummy!" she said grinning happily and I grin back rubbing over the obvious bump on my stomach. We both heard the door open and close and Aura's eyes brighten. "Daddy's home!" and she ran off.

    I stood up as Aura came back in her father's arms. Their matching eyes smiled as Aura showed him the picture. He then turn to me and smiled softly like he always does.

    "I'm back."

    "Welcome home,"