Page 53 of Armor

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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.

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