Read Online Divided We Fall by Trent Reedy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Trent Reedy
Tags: Fiction
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this happened,” said the governor. “I’m sorry about the deaths and injuries. Sorry you’re caught in the middle of it.” His jaw seemed to tense. “If that … president hadn’t passed that …” He held his hands up. “Sorry. This isn’t the time for politics.” He stood. “I have a lot of work to do. Stay here and try to relax. Someone will be here soon to get you once your transportation has been arranged.” He looked us over again. I felt his eyes stop on me, but I couldn’t meet them. “You did your jobs tonight. You are soldiers, and sometimes soldiers have to do … unpleasant things.” There was a long pause. “Thank you for your service.”
I kept my eyes fixed on the table until long after he’d left. Eventually some officers arrived, giving our comms back and escorting us to the helicopters that waited to take us home.
* * *
I had felt proud to wear my uniform on the way home from my first weekend drill at the beginning of the month. I’m not gonna lie. I even made an extra stop at a gas station to buy pop and beef jerky, just so I could walk around in public as a soldier. I didn’t feel proud about anything tonight. As soon as we returned to the 476th Engineer Company armory, I changed into some old sweats that I found in my locker. I crammed my MCUs into my duffel bag and drove home in silence, leaving my comm and radio shut off. I didn’t want to hear any news.
At home, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Mom asleep in her recliner, covered up with Dad’s old Army blanket. The living room screen was on with a reporter in Boise. “You can see that behind me, some sort of canvas barricade has been put in place, and we can only assume that this is to keep us from seeing the cleanup after tonight’s tragedy. Although the protests here have been crushed, outrage is already building in cities across —”
“Living room screen, off,” I said. The stupid thing blinked out. Then I stood in the dark, listening to Mom’s slow, deep breathing. Would I ever feel peace like that again? Would I ever get the images of blood, of that girl’s torn body, out of my head? I bit my fist as my eyes stung.
“Danny?” Mom’s voice was quiet in the dark.
“Yeah, Mom. It’s me.”
“What are you doing?”
I swallowed. “I got home a second ago. I was about to wake you so you could go to bed.” I turned away from her so that in case she switched the lamp on, she wouldn’t see the tears on my cheeks. “You know you always have a sore neck if you sleep all night in your chair.”
“Ah, you worry too much,” she said. “Did you have a nice night?”
“Yeah, Mom.” I swallowed. “It was just great.”
—• Welcome back to Sunday on Fox News. A nation mourns the tragedy at Boise. While details of what actually happened remain sketchy at best, we have now received word that the families of all the victims have been notified of their injuries or deaths, and the victims’ names are now being released. We do not yet know much about those who were killed or injured, but we will be bringing you that information as soon as it is available. The list of those confirmed dead after the shootings: Nineteen-year-old Allison Danter of Twin Falls, Idaho. Twenty-one-year-old Damarcus Washington of Boise. William Seiffert, nineteen years old, from Bozeman, Montana. •—
—• Sandra Schneider, a twenty-year-old nursing major at Boise State. Jeffrey Markinson, also twenty, who was studying to become a teacher. Brittany Barker, only fifteen years old, was a bystander in a café well behind the soldiers. Her parents say she dreamed of being an actress. Three of the twelve who were killed in Boise Friday. More on this when Sunday with the Press continues •—
—• Weekend from NPR News. I’m Renae Matthews. I’m here with Craig White, author of Sixty-Seven Bullets: Understanding the Kent State University Shootings . Craig, your book focuses not only on May 4, 1970, when Ohio National
I kept my eyes fixed on the table until long after he’d left. Eventually some officers arrived, giving our comms back and escorting us to the helicopters that waited to take us home.
* * *
I had felt proud to wear my uniform on the way home from my first weekend drill at the beginning of the month. I’m not gonna lie. I even made an extra stop at a gas station to buy pop and beef jerky, just so I could walk around in public as a soldier. I didn’t feel proud about anything tonight. As soon as we returned to the 476th Engineer Company armory, I changed into some old sweats that I found in my locker. I crammed my MCUs into my duffel bag and drove home in silence, leaving my comm and radio shut off. I didn’t want to hear any news.
At home, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Mom asleep in her recliner, covered up with Dad’s old Army blanket. The living room screen was on with a reporter in Boise. “You can see that behind me, some sort of canvas barricade has been put in place, and we can only assume that this is to keep us from seeing the cleanup after tonight’s tragedy. Although the protests here have been crushed, outrage is already building in cities across —”
“Living room screen, off,” I said. The stupid thing blinked out. Then I stood in the dark, listening to Mom’s slow, deep breathing. Would I ever feel peace like that again? Would I ever get the images of blood, of that girl’s torn body, out of my head? I bit my fist as my eyes stung.
“Danny?” Mom’s voice was quiet in the dark.
“Yeah, Mom. It’s me.”
“What are you doing?”
I swallowed. “I got home a second ago. I was about to wake you so you could go to bed.” I turned away from her so that in case she switched the lamp on, she wouldn’t see the tears on my cheeks. “You know you always have a sore neck if you sleep all night in your chair.”
“Ah, you worry too much,” she said. “Did you have a nice night?”
“Yeah, Mom.” I swallowed. “It was just great.”
—• Welcome back to Sunday on Fox News. A nation mourns the tragedy at Boise. While details of what actually happened remain sketchy at best, we have now received word that the families of all the victims have been notified of their injuries or deaths, and the victims’ names are now being released. We do not yet know much about those who were killed or injured, but we will be bringing you that information as soon as it is available. The list of those confirmed dead after the shootings: Nineteen-year-old Allison Danter of Twin Falls, Idaho. Twenty-one-year-old Damarcus Washington of Boise. William Seiffert, nineteen years old, from Bozeman, Montana. •—
—• Sandra Schneider, a twenty-year-old nursing major at Boise State. Jeffrey Markinson, also twenty, who was studying to become a teacher. Brittany Barker, only fifteen years old, was a bystander in a café well behind the soldiers. Her parents say she dreamed of being an actress. Three of the twelve who were killed in Boise Friday. More on this when Sunday with the Press continues •—
—• Weekend from NPR News. I’m Renae Matthews. I’m here with Craig White, author of Sixty-Seven Bullets: Understanding the Kent State University Shootings . Craig, your book focuses not only on May 4, 1970, when Ohio National
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