Broken Promise

Broken Promise

         The air was thick and motionless around them. A dim light crept through the weeping trees and the woods lay listlessly. Leaves crunched beneath their mud covered, torn boots as the two walked away from their house on the leaf-covered driveway. A glance at the brown bag draped from her brothers army strong shoulders made tears well up in Lizzy’s eyes.

         “Just promise me you will come home.” She nearly choked on the words as she force them from her dry bitter throat.

         “I will,” He said. Eyes closed and hardened face, Justin struggled to look at his little sister, to overcome his disappointment in leaving the girl he had raised alone.

         As they neared the end of the drive, a red Ford pickup, driven by William Carter appeared in the clearing. William, only another young, unsure boy with a newly wedded wife would accompany Justin in Iraq. Lizzy couldn’t bare the thought of this. Her usual bright personality was now completely over taken with fear and darkness. Her eyes were no longer forgiving at the two boys. Hatred bubbled deep in her stomach. Lizzy, Justin, and William stared at each other, not knowing the fate that might be waiting to destroy them.





         Two months passed and letters flowed in and out of the mailbox between Lizzy and Justin. “We just landed in California, flying out to Iraq in a few days. How are you? Have you received the check yet? Make sure you don’t spend too much….” Lizzy read aloud inder her uneven breath while a stream of black mascara ran down her face.

         “Ten more months,” She thought to herself. Early winter was settling in now and the house stayed chilled. Only a small fire burned in the fireplace and a few small stacks of wood sat by the door. This supply shrunk daily, and money was too short to pay someone to cut more wood. Lizzy hadn’t received a check in a good few weeks. She wondered if her brother was okay or on his way home for some reason. She still hated him for leaving her alone, for delaying her education and her future plans until he got back.

         December 22, 2004. the first of the snow was falling. All the roads across town were covered in the slippery ice and frozen snow. Lizzy walked to the mailbox bundled in layers of clothes. Snow crunched under her boots and her feet ached from the cold. The bare tree branches rubbed and squealed against each other in the growing wind. Lizzy pushed the snow off of the mailbox and it fell off with a whoosh. A half soaked, yellow envelope was the only thing inside. She pulled it out, ripping the side of the it and read the return address;

Officer Greg Dawson

1969 Navel Drive

California Navel Base and Army Reserve

         Lizzy’s stomach balled up and twisted, her mind began to scream in fear and pain. She could no long feel the pulse of her heart and her veins dried. Tears began to pour from her eyes and the regret of the hatred she felt for Justin melted. Too scared to open the envelope she shut the mail box and trudged back the house.

         Pushing through the door, she reached for the light switch. She flicked it on but still darkness filled the room. She paused, sighed, then fiercely flicked the switch on and off, but still no lights even blinked. She slammed the door shut and stumbled about the house looking for candles, lit a few, and sat down by the dying fire, trying to find the courage to open the envelope.

         Lizzy sat back in the chair and began to rock, trying to comfort her breaking heart with bitter sweet memories, but this only thickened the black rivers running down her cheeks. The yellow envelope inched its way off her lap and hit the floor with a clang. A chain had crawled its way out partly form onto the floor. Lizzy leaned forward and wrapped her shaking fingers around it and pulled to reveal a dog tag from the envelope. She collapsed to the floor, her body trembling, and the room spun around her. Everything was a blur. Tears poured like water falls from her eyes. Lizzy grabbed the envelope and dumped the rest of its components onto the floor. Another dog tag feel. This one had a ranking of four stars but no name. Letters and pay checks covered the small area around her. She sat there, trying to catch her breathe and calm her body. Slowly, she reached for a letter and ripped it open to read;

“If you are reading this, then I didn’t make it home. I know I should have listened to you, but we both know I was raised with a hard head. I hate that my life ended overseas, but I am willing to accept it in honor of my country. I’m sorry I broke my promise, I hope that you will forgive me. I love you my darling angel and I hope God Blesses and is beside you in everything you do.”

She couldn’t believe what she was reading. Outside the sound of slushing snow and spinning tires carried on the wind. The door flew open and a woman, only a few years older than Lizzy stood sobbing in the door way. It was William’s wife, Laura. William had left with Justin and the two were set to return just two weeks apart. Lizzy looked up confused by her presents.

“He’s not coming home,” Laura said, her voice stuttering. Lizzy looked back down at the dog tag; “William Lee Carter,” it read. Confusion and madness overtook her. She read the signatures of the letters; “Love Willy” they were all signed and the black smeared ink on the yellow envelope read; “To Miss Laura Carter.” The relief of this allowed Lizzy’s heart to start pumping blood through her dried veins. She wiped her eyes and cleaned the makeup off of her red, swollen cheeks and from her puffy eyes. She then let out a joyous sigh as she looked at her brother’s picture on the mantel.

“What am I going to do?” Asked Laura, shaking between sobs.

“You can stay here with me,” Lizzy replied softly. She walked over to Laura and wrapped her arms around her.

“ I pray Justin makes it home. . . . . for both of our sakes,” Laura whispered against the wind howling through the door.