Soldiers Memory

            The rain poured down oppressively. The sky was dark and a small girl named Jill stood in the pouring rain. Jill was eight, wore a nice spring dress and had bare feet. She danced through the rain, ignoring the gloom of the day or how drenched she was getting. Her mother called her name “Jill its time to come inside and wash up” Said her mother, who had her head poked out of the upstairs window to their house. Jill looked out and surveyed the backyard during this rainstorm like it was a great wilderness or some kind of tropical jungle. A look of amazement filled her eyes as her mind pieced together the ‘missing pieces’ of what her eyes left out. “Jill, Now!” Her mother said. Time must have passed between Jill’s warnings, but the girl was so caught up in the wonderment of nature that she lost track of herself and time.

            “Jill!” yelled a voice with extreme urgency. Rain poured down in buckets. The ground was more mud than dirt at this point. A heavily armed soldier ran over to Jill, a look of fear and desperation filled his eyes. “Jill! Answer me!” Jill opened her eyes and looked up. “Mom?” Jill said. “Get it together!” Said the soldier. “Jill shook her head. and her vision cleared. “Sergeant Myers!” Jill replied. Myers nodded and smiled “Lets get you up soldier, we need you on your feet” He said. Jill shakily stood up. As she stood her memories came rushing back. They were in battle and a bomb went off, the explosion sent her flying and the shockwave knocked her out. “I think I’m ok” Jill said. She was also heavily armed and carried the same standard weaponry as her fellow soldiers.

            Gunshots were fired and bullets whizzed passed the two soldiers. “Get down” Said Myers. They both dropped down into the mud and readied their weapons. “Jake, Thank you for coming to get me. I just want you to know you have been a great friend and commanding officer” Jill said. She held her gun steady and aimed unwavering. When she spoke to Sergeant Myers it was with a professional tone. She didn’t know if either of them would survive this battle, but she wasn’t going to fall to pieces either. They were both trained soldiers. “Its Still Sergeant Myers, Private. And we will be fine” Myers replied.

            Rain poured down, thunder rang out and lighting struck off in the distance. The fighting grew more intense and it seemed like hell was crashing down around them. Between the weather and gunfire Jill could no longer hear Myers giving orders. She kept shooting. Enemy soldiers lined up into her sights and she picked them off, one by one. As she watched each body fall, she tried to ignore her memories as they conflicted with her harsh realities. “If I survive this, I’ll deal with it then” She thought. Jill needed to stay focused.

            The battle raged on, but despite chaos a deep seeded memory lingered in Jill’s mind. This full grown woman, who had so many life experiences, joined the military, killed and watched her friends die, she was once just a little girl. She was a little girl who like to play in the rain and mud. She was curious about nature and like wearing pretty dresses.

            When moments like that pass, when people change and times get tough. It is important to reflect on those precious moments and remember who you are. To keep a piece of your true self regardless of what life throws at you.