"Aeroplanes..." Book

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

        Oh, why, why must you leave me like this?  You are looking deep into my eyes now, telling me everything will be all right.  You are going to leave me so that you can protect me and our country.  You are leaving to go to war.  Why?  We've been together for twelve years; boyfriend and girlfriend since seventh grade!  Now you have to go?
        Everything is white.  It is cold outside on the snowy bridge, and I can hear the frigid water of the river lapping up against the ice and slush along the river bank.  I hear soft thuds of icicles and clumps of snow falling off of the  branches of trees, and white flakes of snow whirl around us.  I shiver.         
        "What's wrong?" I hear you say gently, "Are you listening to me?  You look so far away."
        "Yes, I am listening, I just can't grasp what you are saying.  Why do you have to go  fight?  Why can't you stay here,  where people love you and where you're safe?"  I can hear my voice cracking.
        "Nowhere is safe right now, and that is why I am leaving:  I am leaving to fight to make this place safe, safe for you and safe for me when I come home," you answer, but I can tell you are worried.  I know what you are thinking.  There is a chance that you may not come back.
        "What if I never see you again?" I cry. 
        "I'll come home to you, don't worry."  You look so sad and so concerned.  I think you were more talking to you than me.  Convincing yourself.  Do you really know this, or is this just to comfort the two of us?  I know the answer to this, so I won't prod your mind any more.  It is hurting you, just like it is hurting me.
        You are leaning forward.  You kiss my lips and stroke my hair, and your free hand is on my waist.  My body presses up against yours, and I feel so warm.  I feel your heart beating next to mine.  The whole world spins.  Now, you lift up my chin until I am looking deep into your bright blue eyes.  Your blonde-brown hair blows back a little, speckled with snow.  I tear my gaze away from your face and I turn my head away.
        "When will you be going?"  I ask anxiously.
        "In two days.  I've already packed most of my things."  Now you are smiling a small, sad smile at me, and I feel you caressing me.  I close my eyes.  I love you, Robert.  And I know that you love me, too.  But we've been together for twelve years!  How can I let you go now, after all we've been through together? 
        All the trouble we've gotten each other into and all the trouble we've gotten each other out of.  All the good times, when we laughed and smiled at each other, and all the hard times, when you held me close and I cried into your shoulder.  All the times when I wrote to you because I felt bad about something I said or did, and the times when you told me how much you loved me and that everything is okay. 
        And through all these times we've been kissing.  Kissing out of happiness.  Kissing out of sadness.  Kissing to say we're sorry, kissing to make up.  Now, for the first time, right now, we are kissing to say good-bye, and maybe for eternity...
        Why do you have to leave me?