I opened it and peeked inside.
Clothes.
Clothes for a big guy.
I knew that big guy.
***
The air shifted... I felt him.
Chapter 17
Ripper
Year One - Age 24
I rubbed at the center of my chest, missing a piece of myself.
“Lawrence, front and center,” my captain said.
***
Skype Instant Message – She’s living in a dorm with a cool chick.
Year Two - Age 25
I huddled in front of the sandbags with my M4 in my hands, waited a beat, and then I was up, squeezing the trigger at the insurgents who broke the perimeter.
Four hours later, I was finally seeing a medic about a graze I had on my right arm.
My captain walked in then and gestured to five men at his back: “This is him.”
***
Skype Instant Message –*photo of Creedence in her cap and gown*
Skype Instant Message – She graduated with honors.
***
Skype Instant Message – She misses you. She stopped crying herself to sleep last week.
Year Three - Age 26
“Last mission was hard. Need you to pull another one,” my captain said.
I nodded.
I tapped my lucky charm in my ACUs.
***
Skype Instant Message – Some fucker asked her out.
I growled.
Skype Instant Message – She told him she was taken.