The Brave Soldier

Daniel Brizuela

The Brave Soldier

            Mark Witther was a very brave and fearless man who has taken part in numerous missions for the United States Army. He works for a special division of his country’s army that deals with extremely dangerous and violent operations that no other ordinary person could get out of his mind when done.

            Witther has taken part in numerous of these violent missions, from taking down blood-thirsty terrorists, drug dealers that deal in drugs that could kill in just seconds, despotic leaders not afraid to use nuclear weapons against his own people, and many more. Not once has he ever failed a mission, or even gone crazy from all of the work he does as he is one of the best there is.

            However, there are only two things that really get his heart pumping from being scared and nervous and one of them drives the plot of this story. The other thing that he’s afraid of will be brought up at a later time, most likely at the end of this story, so stay tuned.

            It was the first of July when Witther returned from an extremely violent and difficult mission in the Strait of Gibraltar. He had to stop a warlord from unleashing deadly nerve toxins that would have killed millions of innocent people in Europe and Africa.

            Since he hasn’t used any vacation days for the past three years, the army has given him an extended off time from his usual two and half months breaks from the army to be with his longtime girlfriend, Mary Yuler. The two of them were hoping for that so they could spend time together far longer than they did before, which is what will lead to one of Mark’s true fears.

            The first place they went to first was to the beach, where Witther’s fear started to get a hold of him when he tried to grab something that was in his pocket when Mary looked the other way. He decided just to forget about it and just enjoy his time with her before the vacation ends and gets deployed again.

            A few days later they went to a festival celebrating the Fourth of July and watch the fireworks show at night. There, Mark tried to tell Mary something that was a part of his fear and he couldn’t get what he was trying to say out.

            All he could say was how he missed her so much every time he was out there on a dangerous mission and would always think of her. To her that was the sweetest most considerate thing that anyone has ever told her in her life and she was so happy.

            Repeatedly, he tried and tried to spit out what he actually wanted to tell her, but every time he tried his heart would beat so fast. Mark’s heart beat so fast that he almost felt like he was going to have a heart attack or maybe even pass out.

            A few days before he would be sent back, Mark still hasn’t done what he promised he would do as he was so afraid to do it. He wanted to do it, sure, but he’s afraid of what could happen after and how it could affect him and Mary later.

            Mark felt that now was the time, otherwise he wouldn’t be seeing or be with her again for a few more months. If there was ever a time for him to do what he wants to do, now is the perfect time to do it or never be able to.

            When he woke up before Mary, about two days before he would be sent back, he made breakfast and waited for her. As he was waiting for her to walk down, his heart began to beat very fast again with each step that she took to get down.

            If this was going to happen, Mark would have to control himself and not be so nervous anymore, like all the times he goes on his missions. Once Mary arrived, he gave her the food they prepared and as his heart beat faster and faster, Mark remembered all of the training he had and how he used it his missions to get his heart to slow down.

            Once they were done with the food, Mary asked what their plans for that day were, which is what Mark was hoping she would ask. He told her to close her eyes shut for a few second until he told her to open them again and she saw him in front of her and on his knees and holding a ring on his hands.

            It turns out that the thing that he’s been trying to do all this time that actually scared him was asking her to marry him. He was just so nervous of what her answer might be that he just kept putting it down for later until he was brave enough to do it.

            With his heart no longer beating so crazy, Mark can now live with her knowing that they’ll be together for the rest of their lives. Even if something does happen to him on one of his missions at least he’ll know that Mary will always be there as a reason to keep on fighting.

            The day before Mark would have to go back; he and Mary decided to spend one last time together at the amusement park where they went for their first date. They had everything ready for the wedding, which would be the day that Mark returns again, along with the invitations, the clothing, and everything else needed.

            Remember how in the beginning I mentioned that Mark had two big fears, with one being to ask his girlfriend to marry him, which he overcame. The second fear, as I told you in the beginning, will be shown in the end, which is where we are at right now.

            Just like he did with Mary, Mark will face something that’s far more frightening than all of the missions he’s previously been in. That would be roller coasters, which is what he was going to face today so that he had nothing to fear ever again.

End.