Ten

Flames getting hotter. A figure dressed in white, maybe an apron. A white one. A hand extended……..

“Take my hand she says….Shane take my hand….."

“Angel….start the clock…..on my mark……Mark….”

I was on another rooftop. My eye was near the scope. A metal voice chimed in my ear. It called me Angel…….My call sign is……….. Angel…I’m just a little damaged I say to no one. Trying to remember how I got here would be like trying to build an atom bomb with toothpicks and saucy language.

Where do you want to fuck tonight she says in my memory.

We were standing in line waiting for chow. In the mess hall voices were laughing and enjoying the freedom of the moment. Her voice was warm and cut into me. I still didn’t know her name then….yeah. I didn’t know her name because she just came up to me after the most recent training sim. We were talking about nothing and she just kept smiling at me, asking me where I was from and what was my story, I didn’t want to tell her and I can’t remember why.

She helped me with my gear and no one was around. And before I could think or even blink she kissed me. She tasted like salty sweat. Her lips where chapped from dehydration and her tongue was forceful. It was like a dream. I was hearing music in my head and my blood was like thunder in my brain.

She walked away and her hips had this sway. Slow like. Salt. I licked my lips and wondered if she thought I was the salty one.

In the mess hall with a thousand different worlds slowly colliding, universes merging and turkey and potatoes and protein shakes and the Eye on all of us she leaned in slow and sweet this time, that time, lips bruising my ear, maybe she wanted ketchup with her fries, maybe she wanted to push back to square one, maybe she wanted to know when we would fuck.

“Angel….you have full authorization…..”