Now then, ready for the new prompt? Our judge today is the lovely @TinsleyWarren! Tinsley has been writing stories since she's been able to form sentences. She's currently a full-time student, a nanny, and she teaches dance. Remember: 100 - 300 words by midnight Monday night! Leave 'em in the comment section below!
While my hair was carefully, yet tastefully styled atop my head and my outfit was demure and professional , there was nothing glamorous about my current occupation. The war was in full swing in Europe. While the men on the battlefields had the dangerous job of protecting our hallowed constitution against capitalism and evil little men with overbearing egos the wives left stateside had been championed to report the status of the war.
ReplyDeleteThe telegraph wires hummed and clicked as news poured in. Deaths confirmed. Rendezvous points overtaken. No news is good news, my mother always said, and I kept those valuable words in the forefront as my eyes scanned the latest list of the men who would not return home to their families.
My dear John was God knows where at this point. Last word he was somewhere off the coast of France. I missed his warmth as we snuggled to ward off the winter chill at night. I missed his melodious laugh when I attempted, in vain, to expand my culinary prowess. I missed his lips and the way they caressed mine. I missed his strong, calloused fingers as he touched my willing body before he took me as a husband takes his wife. God, I missed him so.
As my eyes scanned the names of the fallen on the latest teletype, I said a silent prayer for the love of my life and for the families who had been left behind. This war was hell on earth, and my fingers began to move across the typewriter as I performed my patriotic duty.
@lakermom37
“What do you think he’ll say?”
ReplyDeleteThe clacking sound of the typewriter stopped as I looked up at my much older, and much more judgmental sister.
Weeks before, and a long with some others, she had gotten news—bad news about her fiancé. She felt that my new found ‘hobby’ was a form of disrespect to the women who were at home mourning.
She didn’t see it as passion—as a job. As my way to help.
“What if something were to happen? What if someone needed to get in touch with you, but you were not here? What would he say?”
I knew what she was thinking. She’d said it before. Like many men, my husband was off at war, and the last thing he needed was to spend time worrying that his new wife was out in a factory straining herself … endangering herself.
He didn’t need that type of distraction while he faced danger every second of the day.
But that’s what she thought. I knew that’s not how my love would see things.
“He’ll be proud,” I whispered. “He’ll know that I’m not home waiting, worrying, and crying all day and night. He’ll be proud.”
He has to be.
@lolosofocused
203 Words
When the war started, I watched my brother and his friends march off to save the world from evil. Like everyone else left at home, I wanted to help. Anything I could do to make it easier for “my” boys, I was ready to do. Since I was still in school, my contributions to the war effort were pretty limited. I was jealous that my sister had a job typing correspondence at the Red Cross. I helped my mom and my sister turn our back yard into a victory garden. I happily complied with rationing. And letters, I wrote letters to my brother, his friends, and anyone else I had any connection to that was Over There. I celebrated every victory and mourned each loss. But it still wasn’t enough.
ReplyDeleteI graduated high school in June, 1943. A month after graduation, I got on a bus to Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and joined the newly formed WAC. I had never worked so hard in my life. I was tested mentally and physically on a daily basis. Every second was worth it. My heart, mind, and body were flying high – I was training to truly make a difference. In October, I got my orders and joined the European theatre under Lieutenant General Mark Clark. With 59 of my sister soldiers I followed Lieutenant General Clark as he invaded Italy and later occupied Austria. I was finally able to serve my country and help the war effort as a communications support specialist. My fingers flew over the keys of a typewriter all over Europe. When the war ended, I was grateful that both my brother and I came home to our family. Our family was amused that I came home with a higher rank in the Army than my brother.
@darcysmom
Word Count:296