2 Years Earlier...

-Briggs-

It was a hot, sunny Friday afternoon. I looked up at the bright blue sky. The heavens were filled with bright white clouds. There was a gentle breeze, but it was hot air. The surrounding area was arid and covered with sand.

We were in Afghanistan, and we stayed at the TAAC. It was mid-January, and we didn't do much at all during the day, other than PT, and sitting around. I'd smoke cigarettes a lot- just to pass the time. I felt like I was getting addicted, because I'd have random chills and I'd get the jitters every now and then.

But it was a hot Friday afternoon...right, I haven't introduced myself.

My name is Antoine Briggs, 19, PFC, Caucasian, in the U.S. Army, blah, blah, blah, I don't care to joke around much, kiss my ass. I also don't care to talk about myself, like why is it relevant?

Anyway, it was a hot, sunny Friday afternoon, and I was sitting with my buddy Ramirez, I was smoking a cigarette and he was chewing gum, as he usually did, because he didn't smoke. Oftentimes, I'd offer him a cigarette, but he'd always decline.

Every time I'd quit, which would only last for a few days, I'd beg him over and over for some gum. It'd usually help the craving for cigarettes. He usually gave me some. I think we were pretty cool, because we got to the unit on the same day, at the same time. It was pretty uncanny timing.

Anyway, we sat there in silence. I took a long drag off of my cigarette before I put it out.

I sighed. "Another day, another dollar".

"Guy, we leave tomorrow."

"True."

There was a pause.

"Are you gonna see your girl", he asked casually.

"Hell yeah...I'm pretty excited", I said quietly.

I wanted to get home ASAP, because I had been dating a girl, really beautiful. Long, dark brown hair, bright green eyes, tanned skin, and a bright smile. We'd been together for nearly a year, and we'd known each other for over 2 years. The only bad thing was that she hadn't texted me back in a little over a week.

"Yep", he said.

I couldn't wait to see her again.

Allison Banning is her name. She's like a goddess to me, and I'm surprised that she could see anything important about me at all. I'm not exaggerating, she looks so beautiful, and she's way out of my league. And no matter how I'm feeling, I'm always happy when I'm around her.

Anyway, enough of the sappy stuff, I don't care to be in my feelings a lot.

I pulled my phone out, and started screwing around on it. I'd listen to music when I was alone, mostly rock and metal, I didn't care for much else.

Preoccupied, I asked him, "What about you, are you gonna see your girl"

"I don't have a car"

"Take a taxi dumbass", I said as I glanced at him.

He rolled his eyes.

"Yep"

Ramirez was from New York, and I from Tennessee. We were as different as the opposite side of a coin.

He was good at technical stuff, and I was good at medical stuff. I listen to metal, and he listens to pop and whatnot.

I looked over at him "Why do you look like that", I asked.

He rolled his eyes again.

I'd ask that just as a joke, so that people would be like "what", but I'd said it so many times to him that it was just another thing.

I put on some music, and he instantly told me to turn it off. I glared at him.

You hoe, I thought.

I replied with a murmur.

I thought for a minute.

"Hey, I have a question", I asked Ramirez.

"What is it"

"My girl hasn't replied in over a week, do you think something happened"

He broke out laughing, I knew what he was going to say next.

"Jodie got your girl, man"

I stared at him, unamused.

"I'm just kidding, I don't know", he replied.

I murmured again.

It was about 1500 (3 PM), and I was bored out of my skull.

The rest of the day passed by so slowly, and by the time I got back to the barracks, I was exhausted. I hadn't even thought of packing up.

Fuck.

It took me all night to pack everything up, and I was annoying my roommates. I needed to pack though.

The next morning was quite long. We woke up at 0500, and I had fallen asleep at about 2 or 3. I was beyond exhausted. I could never bring myself to fall asleep in public. I'd usually think about Allison. That'd keep me awake all day. I honestly couldn't stop thinking about her, to tell you the truth. It'd been about a week and a half now. I looked at my phone, still no message from her, and she still hadn't seen my message.

I was laying in bed, telling myself that it'd be okay, and that I'll reschedule the flight, but I knew that would never happen.

"Re-up, you're crazy, re-up, you're outta your mind"

Ramirez went over to my area of the room and told me to get up.

Fuuuck.

I got my gear on, all of my duffles, my assault pack, and my ruck.

There was a bus that took us to a hangar to board the plane. We flew off a little after 0800. It took us approximately 6 hours to make it to the next airport. I slept the entire time. I was glad for that.

We stopped in Kuwait, and waited for an eternity for the next plane to arrive.

The next stop was in Ireland. I thought that the desk lady looked pretty cute there, but immediately shut the thought out of my mind. I thought about Allison some more.

Why haven't you texting me back?

Maybe she's just been busy. Yeah, that's probably it, I shouldn't be so clingy.

We waited for hours at the airport. It was the next morning by the time we got back to the States.

We finally arrived in Fort Drum, which is in New York. We got off the bus, and headed back to the barracks. It felt like a dream. We'd been gone for a few months. Our mission was cut short due to so many people in my unit being sent.

I thought of all the things that had happened over deployment. There was one guy named Dessip, he was probably the dummy of my unit. He got locked in the connex once. It turned out he hid in one of the boxes and fell asleep in it, trying to sham out of doing work.

It was really funny, and he got majorly fucked up after the higher-ups found out about it.

I chuckled at the thought, as I entered my room.

Finally, I'm home, I thought.

I called Allison only to be answered by her voicemail tone. I was getting aggravated. I need to see her soon. I read our latest texts, which were nearly two weeks old.

We were saying good night to each other, but I told her that I have a surprise for her when I got back. She never saw it though.

As I scrolled up through more of our messages, I noticed that we hadn't talked as much as we usually had.

It was Sunday morning, and I was a few hours away from her home. To go or not to go, I asked myself.

I need to see her. I NEED TO.

I got in my car, a deep blue Mazda 6, 2015 model.

I cranked it up, and put on some death metal. It would get me pumped up, so I'd have the courage to face her. I feel like I already knew what happened.

I finally reached her house, I pulled up to the curb, parked and got out.

I was wearing a white band tee with a black leather jacket, black jeans, and my black biker boots- I felt it fit the occasion. I walked up to the door, and knocked. No answer.

I felt like no one was home, and I didn't want to intrude, but...it didn't hurt to try.

I turned the door knob, and the door was unlocked. I walked in.

I was familiar with her house, because I had been in there quite a bit, and I had met her parents, and she had met mine. We were a happy couple.

There was no one in the house, or so it seemed. There was a noise coming from Allison's room...it sounded like...moaning.