"Like Rain" - Warning Contains Minor Upsetting Content Pertaining to Iraq. Love Story :/

     For as long as Private Joseph Lee could remember, he had been a happy person. But now, on a sunny November day, he was very unhappy. He was in a humvee in Iraq, and today was the day he was to be shipped into Bagdhad. He looked around the fine vehicle at his young compatriots. These men and women had been with him training for months.



     In the back seat next to him was Private First Class Ryan Pratt. He was the squads weapons expert, as well as its mechanic. From what Ryan had told him, he had once been a auto mechanic in texas, living check to check, until he met the girl of his dreams. She convinced him to enlist for his future. Just a week ago, Ryan told Joseph that she had mailed him her wedding pictures to another man. Ryan had even said the man was his lifelong friend. The past few days had been very hard on Ryan.



     Thinking about Ryan’s pain was giving Joe a headache, so he turned to the front of the car. In the drivers seat was a new recruit to their squad, whom he didn’t know much about. All he knew was his name was Chris Jarvis, and he was a mean guy. In the passenger seat was Josephs best army friend, and the squads medic, Corporal Jane Ludo. She had patched him up many times. From what she had told him she had even been to medical school, but found a practice to be too boring.Joseph’s mind began to wander, until he heard a sound he hadnt heard in weeks. He looked up and the doors were open. The humvee in front of them was gone. All Joe could see was flames and smoke. He heard another strange noise and holes appeared in their vehicles windshield. The doors to the humvee screamed open. Joseph looked down at his hands. They were covered in blood.Joseph opened his eyes. He was in his room, at his mothers house. He was holding a phone. Over the line he heard a familiar voice, but it was still the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. “Taylor, I have to ask you something, but its so stupid. I just cant say anything.” “Just say it,” She said. “I promise you wont feel stupid.” “No, I don’t think I can, you prolly hear it every day.” He said. “I don’t wanna just be the third one this week. I hope you don’t know what I want to ask you.” “Just ask Joey, I promise youll like what you hear! “ She screamed, sounding most excited about the situation.



     “Well, I know we just started talking to each other a few weeks ago, but I just cant stop thinking about you,” He said. He could hear her blush over the phone. “Oh really, she said. “Is that all you wanted to say?” “No, he said. I was wondering if you would be my girlfriend.” “Of course I would,” She said. “Why didn’t you just ask me.”Joseph opened his eyes to a smokey sky. He was lieing on his back. He felt a sharp pain in his chest. “Joe! Chris pulled you out! You’re safe now!” Screamed Ludo. “Chris put pressure right here! NO RIGHT THERE!” An explosion shook the ground, as a shower or red filled the sky above them. “RYAN!” Ludo screamed, but she had to turn back to her task at hand. Joseph closed his eyes again.



     Joseph opened his eyes. Now he was on the tailgate of his truck. It was midnight, and the warm night air could be felt in his lungs. He was holding her, the love of his life. But he had bad news. Taylor looked up at him and said, “Joey, tell me how I fell so in love with you.” Joey blushed and said, “I don’t know baby, but I wouldn’t trade the last few months for the world.” She kissed him on the lips and turned back to the lake. “I never want to lose you Joey, you are my all in all. I don’t know what I would do in this life without you.” “Don’t say that babe, you are never going to lose me,” He said. “But I do have to tell you something you probably don’t want to hear.” “Taylor looked up once again, and her grip around his arms tightened. For a second Joe wondered if she knew what he was going to say. “I enlisted today Taylor. I leave in September.” Tears began to roll down Taylors face. She didn’t know what to say. “But that’s only the bad news honey. Hold out your hand.”



     Taylor held out her hand, and he slipped on the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. She couldn’t help but smile. She turned and looked deeply in his eyes. “But if your leaving..” She began, only to be interrupted. “Don’t worry about that. The wedding will be in July, the month we met and started dating. My mother has already prepared everything for the day.” Taylor began crying again, but this time all she could feel was joy.



     Joseph opened his eyes again, but this time Jarvis was missing. Ludo was screaming, and he saw a large wound on her left arm. He tried to mouth the words, help me, but all he could taste was blood. He saw tears falling down her face, and couldn’t think of any way to comfort her. He pulled together all his strength and grabbed her hand. Suddenly his eyes were too heavy, he couldn’t stay awake…



     He was standing there, looking into her eyes. They were married. Everything had gone according to plan. It was finally time for their kiss. He smiled at the most beautiful thing he had ever seen with his own eyes. She was so beautiful he was squinting from the light of her smile. He lifted the veil, and tears were streaming from her eyes. She mouthed the words “I love you” and he kissed her, for all to see. She told him she had a surprise and everyone sat down but him. The lights all dimmed, and the all he could see was her.



     Joe woke up for the last time, he couldn’t feel his body anymore. He looked up to see Ludo but she wasn’t there. There was someone else. Someone he had never seen before. He gasped, and suddenly he was back at the church.



     Taylor began to sing their song. “I need you, like water, like breath like rain.”