Page 51 of Wait For Me

“Screw this.” Someone leapt past him, jumping the railing like a hurdle. Landon reached out and caught the fabric of the jumper’s thin t-shirt. The force propelled him forward and his chest connected with the metal bar.

“Let go of me.” Hands clawed at his arm.

Landon struggled to catch his breath through the burning pain in his ribs, staring down at the kid with the drumsticks in his back pocket that he’d reprimanded only a week ago. “You’re going to die if you try to swim this. Don’t be an idiot. Grab my hand.” The kid shook his head as his shirt began to stretch and he arched his body backwards.

“Someone get me a rope. Sierra!” His throat scratched as he screamed his friend’s name. “Help me out over here.”

“My girlfriend is out there. Let me go.” The kid tore at his own shirt and the fabric in Landon’s hand was weightless as the sailor plunged into the dark waters below the hull. Landon cursed out loud, throwing the remainder of the shirt into the wind.

And then he hesitated, calculating the distance to the water below and how far it was to shore. His thumb brushed gently against his ring.

A female sailor reached for the rails. He lunged to the side, tackling her to the deck.

“Let go of me,” she cried as he pinned her down. “My babies are out there. I have to make sure they’re okay.”

“General Quarters. General Quarters. This is not a drill.”

Landon kept his body on top of the frantic sailor until the fight drained from her. Boots stomped past their faces as they ran to follow orders. There were other sailors and Marines that lingered on the flight deck, coaxing people to move down below. He wasn’t alone in this fight and yet, it still weighed too heavily on him.

“My babies,” the sailor sobbed beneath him. He shifted his weight to the side, grabbing her wrist as he rocked back to his knees.

“You heard the CO. Get back to your station.” He pulled her across the flight deck by her wrist, afraid to let go. Every painfilled whimper she uttered with every step tore at a piece of his heart and he wanted to yell, wanted to jump, wanted to shake some sense into her. My kids are somewhere out there too.

“It’s going to be alright.” He shoved her through the hatch. “We’ll get off this ship soon.”

Blood pumped hard through his veins as he surveyed the deck a final time. Search and Rescue boats were already being deployed. They better find that stupid kid. He willed himself to calm down, inhaling the salty air through his nose and pushing it from his lips. The stars hung silently above the world, watching as he turned his face to pray to anyone who was listening right now. Please let them be alright. Keep them safe until I get home.

GySgt. Fuimaono’s deep voice boomed throughout the hangar bay as Landon slipped into formation behind the Marines who were still piling in. Anger and fear radiated from their skin in a sickening smell of sweat.

“Listen here, Marines.” GySgt. Fuimaono’s accent grew thicker as he flexed and pointed at the ceiling. “What just happened, won’t ever happen again. You are still on deployment. You still have a job to do. Those sailors went AWOL. Do you understand me? They are a disgrace to the Navy.”

That’s harsh. Landon bit the inside of his cheek, keeping his expression neutral.

“I don’t know, Gunny. Their families are out there.”

Every head snapped to the side to see what Marine had a death wish.

LCpl Martinez stood at the front of the formation and shrugged. “I’m just saying.”

GySgt. Fuimaono took two long and powerful steps until he stood towering over Martinez. The rest of the troops held their breath. Landon sighed as he stepped from the formation, ready to direct the anger to himself and protect the dopey lance corporal who was still adjusting to his meds.

“Martinez,” GySgt. Fuimaono growled. “Did I say you could speak?”

“No…No, Gunny,” LCpl. Martinez stuttered.

Then why are you still talking? Landon shook his head as he moved forward. The seventy-two-hour hold wasn’t long enough and he didn’t want another episode after what he’d already dealt with tonight.

“But you’re right, it isn’t fair.” GySgt. Fuimaono folded his arms over his chest and took a step back. Landon froze along with everyone else. No one was expecting Gunny to say that.

“It isn’t fair to their departments and units for abandoning their posts,” GySgt. Fuimaono continued as he paced in front of the formation. “You think they are the only ones with families out there? We all want to go home. But if what we saw tonight is any indication of what the world is like, then I promise that your unit will become closer than family. You’ll need each other to protect your loved ones. Is this something you’re willing to give up?”

“No Gunny,” Landon joined the loud response halfheartedly. The motivational speech irritated him despite its good intent.

“Attention on deck.”

His hands formed fists at the seam of his pants as Landon stood up straight. COL. Brown marched to the head of the formation, nodding at GySgt. Fuimaono who gave him a smart salute, and then turned to face the troops.

“Parade rest.”

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