Kira Sotos, 12th, Madison West High School, WI, (Fiction) "The Promise" That afternoon, the sky stayed a calming, pewter gray and the rain fell particularly heavy. Water seeped into the blood-soaked ground, cradling the young soldier in a bed of warm, earthy slush. As he stared deep into the turbulent clouds, his anguished lust for peace of mind allowed the weight of his eyelids to blanket him under cover of darkness. His descent into comatose recast the harsh rain into kisses of sunshine, whistles of artillery into songbirds, and the confines of his uniform into his mother’s tender arms. One final wheeze of sweaty air and Magna Mater welcomed him deep into the solace of her muddy bosom. Far from the trials of reality, he was seven once again, lying in the sleepy fields of his homeland. Carelessly he gazed into the horizon, naming shapes as the gentle wind sculpted clouds into pretty pictures. His mother held him tight to her chest, lifting his chin toward the shining sun, and kissed his forehead softly. “My boy… whenever you find yourself struggling, I want you to come back to this place. Remember the beauty of this moment, and cherish it.” He closed his eyes and smiled as the climate of peace lulled him deep into a placid slumber. ********** Will erupted violently to the burning sensation of oxygen filling his lungs, as mud and phlegm exited his system. His vision gradually steadied and as his body returned to its senses, he could not believe his eyes. Ubiquitously, the land was green and fertile, a grandiose sky of blue stretching infinitely into the distance. His skin was clean, and his uniform was replaced by equally fresh linens. Not far ahead, a woman in a delicate white dress beckoned him toward her with a warm smile. Combing his fingers meekly through his hair, he approached her with apprehension. “Um hello. I… is this heaven?” The girl giggled playfully, ignoring the question. “Are you enjoying your time here?” She solicited, almost mechanically. “Uh…yeah, I suppose.”
56
