A Soldiers Love (Story)

I lived in a small town. The kinda town where everyone knew each other. I was 13, when I first met Ken. Ken was the nicest guy I had ever met, me and Ken quickly grew to become friends. We did everything together, no matter what the problem, we found a way to solve it. "Brothers separated at birth" is what my aunt called it. And I always believed we where brothers, though he had red hair and green eyes and I had black and brown. The principal of it was that we where close friends. About around the time I turned 18, the draft happened. North and south Korea where at war. it was Vietnam, I enlisted as a Ranger before the draft, but Ken stayed in that little town. 3 months had gone by and I had been passed from boot camp to the jungles of Nam. The year was 1966, And I had been sent back to Nam for my 2nd tour. While i had come back to that little town I found out that Ken had enlisted shortly after I did as a Marine. But, a lucky shot to the right shoulder ended my tour and i was sent back to my quite little town. Shortly after I met Elizabeth, I had always known her, the kinda girl that everyone was after, but no one could get. She was beautiful, smart, graceful, she was everything. I had my try with her, but i fell a bit short. So we decided just to stay friends. Well 2 months after my return home, Ken followed. However, I guess I got off easy. Ken had been torn up by a grenade, he was in bad shape. But, shortly there after i started to notice Elizabeth's actions. She began to visit him day after day, caring for him, making sure he was alright. She was there by his side until he fully recovered. With that said, it comes to no surprise that they started dating. Years had gone by and they finally tied the knot, they loved each other so, it was like there was no one else in the world. I lost contact with Ken and Elizabeth after a while shortly after i moved to New York. I was 32 a letter had come in the mail. I remember the letter, it had a hint of sorrow to it, you couldn't really place it, but it was there. Elizabeth had caught a serious flu, and she wasn't going to make it. I took the next flight out to my home town. I was there for the funereal, and I was there for Ken, i remember him, I had never seen someone so lost. For the next 30 years he justed lost, it was like he was searching for something that he could never find. When he was 62 the agent orange finally caught up with him. He was dieing. I was there for him those last months, until he finally just, gave up. I remember that day. Me and a few other friends where there. He was on his death bed, he looked so weak, so lost. We who where there sat around him, we all wanted to cry, but we didn't. His time was coming, we all knew it, it was 5:00p.m. when it happened. We where all there, some of use prayed, some of us gripped out fists, it was all we could do not to cry. But then... Something strange happened. He had been coming in and out of consciousnesses for a while. Then, he began to raise his hand into the air. We all looked on speechless, it looked as if he was holding hands with something that wasn't there. Then he spoke, "Darling, let us cross the creek and lay in the shade of the big oak tree". none of use in the room said a word, we just watched. His had slowly began to fall. As it returned to the bed, he said "I have missed you so". He then smiled, he smiled, he looked so happy. A tear came to his eye as his head relaxed on the pillow. We all knew, all of us. But no one said a word. We all knew, Elizabeth had come for him, she had come to see him, to help him pass. So that she could greet him, so that she could be with him, once more, and forever. Just a soldier, and his love. "When he gets to heaven, saint peter he shall tell, one more soldier report, "Sir! I've served my time in hell!".