The Vow by Adam Alani

     I could not take it any more. I kept running and dodging bullets that were fired at me. One of them almost got me, but I managed to take cover. Bullets were everywhere. It was like fireworks at night in Disneyland. Bombs, missiles fell from the sky like maple leaves shed of trees in autumn. I took cover behind a half roasted metal. I could not tell because it was dented with bullets and painted with dry blood. A pick-up truck or maybe, it was. I sat down and decided to take a rest, resting from all of this holocaust. I took a deep breath in but all I could smell was the scent of burn tyres and gun powder. I was used to it now because it had been three days we had been holding of the enemy. I looked around I saw my team mates fight for their lives to protect our nation. But what for? If only men did not learn to kill. If only the word 'war' did not exist.

     My mind just could not stop thinking about her. I settled down my rifle. I took off my helmet and wiped off the dirt on top of it. I flipped it and grabbed a photograph. As soon as I took a look at it, tears started to come out off my eyes. It was the picture of the love of my life. I never loved someone like I loved her before. I took the picture and placed it to my heart. That was the right place for her to be. I closed my eyes and tried to remember her. The sounds of expression and bullet hitting metal came to a sudden silence. Suddenly, a vision appeared in my head.

     I was on a bed. It was my bed but she was not here beside me. I looked out the window and saw sunlight rays penetrated through it. I inhaled and smelled something nice, something wonderful. I got out of bed and twirled around rearranging my backbones into place. I put some clothes on and went downstairs. The nice smell was getting closer then I saw something a lot better. It was Fanny. She was flipping pancakes in the kitchen. Fanny Benny was her name. Fanny was perfect. She had the most beautiful black eyes as black as the tar on the road. She had silky, shiny, long wavy hair as black as the black hole but shining like stars in the clear night skies. At that moment her hair was pony-tailed. She was wearing this strange red shirt that time. But who cares, anything looked nice on Fanny.

     I approached her from behind. I was close enough until our body touched. I kissed her cheek. She smiled. Her smile was light to my world. She grabbed two plates and placed the pancakes on them and set them up on the kitchen counter. Pour some maple syrup on them. I grabbed my forks and started eating. She just stared at me. Her hands were crossed under her chin. 

     "Morning," I replied.

     "How was your sleep? Comfortable?"

     "Yes. I kept dreaming of you."

     Her cheeks reddened. She looked so cute at that moment. If only I could stop time and make this moment last forever.

     Then, I remembered something that I should have told her weeks ago. Maybe now was the right time.

     "Fanny, I've gotten something to tell you."

     "Yeah? What is it?"

     "I will be on duty tomorrow."

     Her face changed the opposite of what I had seen before. She started to cry. I felt. She got off her chair and ran to the sofa in the living room.

     Then, suddenly it all disappeared. No more pancakes, no more Fanny. I was once again back at the battlefield. The sound of bullet hitting into metal interrupted my vision. I took a peek. It was fired from a bunker on the other side. I sensed danger. I grabbed my M16 and fired back at it. It was a random shot. I shot anything that seemed a threat to me. Suddenly, it stopped. I guessed I had hit the shooter in the bunker. I felt an urge in my chest. I looked down and saw red fluid coming out of it. I then collapsed.

     I saw my team mates running, coming to get me but all I wanted now was to be with Fanny. The image of Fanny reappeared in my mind. I saw her wearing the red shirt. That was the last image I remembered about her. 

     "I am sorry, Fanny. I could not make our vow come true."