A Mistake

A Mistake
A knock could be heard at her door. Elizabeth ran to it in a hurry from the kitchen. She had pale skin, brown hair and hazel eyes. Her husband, Michael Leznered, had been serving faithfully in the military for five years. They had been together for nine years. He currently was somewhere in Korea and she hadn’t received a letter in several weeks.
Elizabeth opened the door to find a commander of Michael’s, Colonel Maclin, standing with a letter in his hand. Colonel Maclin looked like your ordinary Colonel. He was short, with graying hair, his dress uniform looked crisp and there was an air of authority and yet weariness around him.
No, she thought, this isn’t what I think it is.
“Colonel Maclin.” She softly said, more to herself than to him.
“I am so sorry Mrs. Leznered, but there has been an accident. Michael was on a mission and his platoon was attacked by enemy fire. He….didn’t make it.” He solemnly said.
Her eyes began to water.
“Please god, no.” She moaned and collapsed on the floor.
“He was a good soldier who served his country with every fiber of his being. On behalf of the United States of America, we personally mourn your loss and will do everything necessary to help you in your time of need.” He finished, handing her the letter.
She looked up, tears streaming from her eyes, and took the letter.
With that, Colonel Maclin walked back over to his car.
Two more stops to make in this county, he thought as he drove away.

Elizabeth managed to pick herself up and quietly shut the door. A letter. That’s what was left of her seven year marriage. A letter. The hurt coursed through her like wildfire. She felt another round of tears coming. All she could do at this point was to run to her bed and sob. No more football games to watch with him, no more movie dates, no more waking up seeing his smiling face, no more anything. Her life was over with him.
But, there was something else she felt. Uncertainty. She honestly was questioning what just happened. She may not know how bad it was in Korea, but she did know that Michael was one of the best soldiers in his platoon and he had promised her to return home safely. Michael’s promises were like gold. He had excellent judgment and could judge whether it was safe or not. She felt like what just happened, wasn’t supposed to, at least not yet.



Michael Leznered laid in his bunk somewhere by the frontline of the war, waiting for the bombing to stop. For over a week now there was heavy artillery and he couldn’t get a letter to his wife, Elizabeth. But now it was very slow, there was still bombing, but it wasn’t bad enough for the postal system.
He was tan from the Korean Sun, had black hair, and dark brown eyes. He knew Elizabeth was holding up well, but there was something in his gut that said something was wrong.
“Mail Call!” the postal officer said.
His best friend, Demitri, received a letter, but there was none for Michael. Now he knew something was up back in the states. He sat up to look at Demitri, who had frozen, looking at the letter he just received.
“‘It’s from your wife, man.” He quietly said
One look at the handwriting told him it was his loving wife.
“Read it.” Michael replied.
Several minutes passed as Demitri read the letter. A thousand thoughts were racing through his mind. Why had she sent a letter to Demitri and not to him? Was there something she wanted his best friend to know but not him? What was happening? Did the army do something stupid or what?
Demitri sighed and looked up at Michael.
“Looks like the army made a big mistake. You’ve been marked as deceased and Colonel Maclin has paid her the visit.” Demitri explained.
Michael grabbed the letter and began reading it.
Suddenly, a bomb hit directly next to their tent.


Three weeks had passed. Elizabeth still felt the pain, shock and uncertainty like it just happened yesterday. Today, however, would’ve been their eighth anniversary. She drove to where their wedding took place; they went there every year on this day.
The place where they had their wedding was a beautiful meadow. Now it was filled with tall, brown weeds. It felt…dead. It didn’t seem like the place where they had exchanged those scared vows of love just eight years before. But it was the meadow. On her right was the green tree line where you would find the creatures of the forest. The sun was setting, giving it a three o’clock shadow. Elizabeth had on her best white dress and her favorite necklace. She had her hair cut shoulder length and now it cast a shadow over her pale face as she walked amongst the tall weeds and remembered that special day. She looked at the ground to her right. Yes,this is where they stood. Yet again, tears filled her eyes.
Suddenly a car door slammed. She turned her head to the left, and saw what her mind wanted to perceive as a ghost or a hallucination.
Her husband Michael was walking towards her. His left arm was in a sling and he had several cuts and bruises on his face.
He finally reached her.
“Elizabeth. I’m so sorry.” He said.
She stared in confusion. What was going on?
“The army made a mistake. He was, in fact, alive.” A gruff voice said behind Michael.
Colonel Maclin.
So this is real, she thought.
The tears began to fall as Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his waist, never wanting to let go again. Michael felt the same way.
He kissed her hair. He pulled her away to look at her face.
“Happy Anniversary.” He said before taking her into his arms.