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My squadron leader has been mentioning a place that I should visit and it is located in Texas – but I’ve never been there. Do you know where Yonder or Tyler is?
Just talking… thinking aloud and dreaming with a friend.
I think I’m going to get in a few laps before I turn in.
Off to go run…
Your friend,
Austin
Yup. He was deliberately baiting the hook, hoping to reel in something. It was hot out and he was exhausted, having no intention of going running tonight since he’d already lifted weights earlier in the day with the other guys… but this was a chance he couldn’t pass up.
Throwing on his PT clothes, he saw a few curious looks and grabbed his water bottle from his footlocker.
“Where’s he going?” Ricochet asked bluntly. “Didn’t he already exercise today? The bean pole is already rail-thin and scrawny…”
“Maybe he’s that way for a reason,” Paradox muttered, walking into the room with a towel about his hips. “I’ve seen the guy at the gym, and he tries to bulk up, but it’s just not in him. You know that gangly kid eats like a horse and can bench press his own weight?”
“With what?” Riptide laughed.
“He’s scrawny,” Copperhead muttered, smiling slightly.
“Don’t mistake ‘wiry’ for ‘wimpy’,” Reaper interjected, smirking at the other men. “I think he could probably hold his own in a fight – and I’m glad he seems like his old self again.”
“Me too.”
Sparky looked over his shoulder and smiled – meeting Reaper’s eyes. Nothing they were saying bothered him. He’d heard it his entire life. He was thin and never seemed to bulk up, no matter what he did.
“Yep. Someone told me to stop moping and pull my head out of my backside - so I did. I’m going for a breather. Don’t wait up,girls….”
“Yup. Sparky’s back,” Paradox grinned, waving ‘bye’. “Arrivederci…”
He grinned at Paradox and took off out the door to the barracks, nodding to a couple of guys in the hallway. As he stepped out into the night air, he grimaced.
It was still awfully warm out despite the sun setting in the distance. He walked past several buildings and looped his water bottle tether over his wrist, holding it in his hand, and began to jog.
He was on his third loop around the base when he spotted a figure in the distance… and kept going no matter how much he wanted to stop running and yell ‘hello’.
Instead, he circled again and saw that figure standing beside a building, simply watching him. Running one more lap, he stopped, catching his breath very close to the fence line – waiting.
He took several sips of water with his back towards whoever it was, just listening, hoping, and praying.
… Then, out of nowhere, came a faint female voice.
“Drink another bottle of water before bed, too – it’s hot out…” and he heard movement, turning quickly, trying to catch her and saw her running off into the shadows away from the fence.
“Giselle?” he hollered out painfully – and glanced upwards at the fence, feeling desperate.
It was exceedingly tall, with barbed wire angled at the top facing inward on both sides. Even if he managed to scale it? He would slice himself up before getting arrested for trespassing on government property they did not assign him to.
Pivoting, he ran inside to the communications room despite his state of dress and being covered in sweat… taking the first empty seat.
Giselle – was that you?
I’ll be running again tomorrow night, if that was you… and I’d like to say ‘hello’ – please. I know you are scared, but it’s just a quick greeting. It won’t change anything. Meet me – let’s talk – please.
I promise to drink my water and gulp down another one.
