Home Is You | l.s.

5

(Louis' point of view)

I jolt awake when I'm thrown forward slightly in my seat and I'm blinded by the lights above me. The train has come to a stop and the lights turned on, startling many of the other soldiers awake. Some of the men groan while others start to stretch and stand. I rub at my eyes and yawn as I shift to the side of the window and groan.

Pain shoots up my side and paralyzes my movements. I suck in a quick breath and lean back against the window to lift my jacket up and reveal my pants. There's a bloodstained slash in the material. I inhale sharply as I remove the fabric from my wound and examine the damage.

It's not too bad, not needing stitches. Just a slight cut from my fall I'm assuming. I let go of my clothing and attempt to scoot out of the seat as the men start to file into a line, exiting the train. I follow the tall soldiers out of the cart and down the stairs onto a new platform, identical to the one we've just come from. It's long and wide with no one in sight.

Off to the left there's a large building in the distance where many other soldiers are gathering. My line starts to walk in that direction and I stare at the shoulders of the man in front of me as we make our way across the wood in the dark, cold night.

As we walk, we pass a body on the platform, all the other soldiers keeping forward, not sparing the man a glance. I stop and gasp as I realize the man is an officer, and there's a stain of blood on the concrete by his head. I cover my mouth with my hands and my eyes fill with tears as I look back to the line. All the men are across the platform already and making their way down the stairs.

I glance back down at the unconscious officer and immediately regret it. It makes me feel worse as I sprint my way across the stand to keep up and run down the stairs. I jog to catch up to the soldiers and reach them just as they make it to the doors of the mysterious gathering place. The outside is clear by now, all the other men already inside. I file in behind the others, one by one, and let the door swing shut behind me as we enter.

The smell of a cooked meal hits my nose immediately and my mouth waters at the thought of warm food. I haven't had a meal in months. Just the scraps we find here and there on assignments. I never thought I was going to live long enough to consume another meal.

The line of new soldiers I traveled with keeps moving forward towards the line for food at the other side of the room. They all file in one by one, and all the attention is on them.

They all look so new and so prepared. They're very different from the rest of us. Most of us are beat down and tired, and all we want is to sleep or just die already. These men look determined. They look like they could fight for hours on seconds notice. They look like they could win this war. Their aura screams for attention and power. But that's how we all started. Every soldier starts out like that before they see what true battle is like. They won't look like that for very long. It won't last.

I look around the building at all the men, and see just how right I am. Every single man in here is beaten up and broken down. Almost everyone has lost their packs and guns. Many have torn uniforms or missing clothing and bandages and bloody skin. Everyone has bags under their eyes and looks half dead. I have no doubt I look the same.

My gaze flickers from face to face, observing every soldier in the room. They're all either eating, staring at the new recruits, or talking. Except for one.

My gaze stops when I meet the eyes of one of the soldiers. He's looking straight at me with an intense stare as he seems to observe me. I freeze in my place and look straight back at him.

He's beautiful. Gorgeous green eyes that seem to sparkle, even through all this pain, and unruly curls that sit atop his head, the sides of his head shaved short, the mess of curls sitting on top. His hair hangs in his face slightly, and it only adds to his beauty. His high cheek bones match his chiseled jaw, and his tongue pokes out to wet his plump lips as he continues to study me with a perplexed look on his face.