Notifications Part II

Good morning and welcome to Monday Blogs. This month, our theme is military novels. We’re talking about service to our country and the ultimate price some pay today. All of the stories are fictional but in some ways they will seem very real to some readers. As a military veteran married to another veteran, I know the pain and anguish suffered by those left behind. My heart goes out to every family experiencing this pain.
The war has gone on for so long. Mrs. Winston sent all three of her boys to serve their country. She’s a proud military mother, as evidenced by the placard in her front window. Every one of her neighbors with a son to send to protect liberty and freedom has the very same placard. They all gather once a week, to sew blankets or bake cookies to send to units on the front lines.
World War II has been going on forever. Her sons write when they can, but it’s not enough to keep her from worrying about their safety. Her heart is always heavy, always worrying about her boys. There were naught but barely out of high school when they enlisted. She and her husband raised their sons to be men who knew their duty.
A screech from outside her home has her wiping her hands on her apron and moving slowly toward the living room. It’s hot today, near a hundred, not unusual in Phoenix as summer desperately hangs on throughout September. There was little to no news about the action in Europe this morning on the radio. Two of her boys are there; the third is on a ship in the Pacific.
“I wonder who’s here?” Her husband folds his newspaper and lays it on the table. “Supper smells good, sweetie. Is that a roast you’re cooking?”
She nods, one hand rising to her throat. The vehicle outside is black, as are all vehicles these days. The markings of the United States Army are on the door. Two men approach their porch.
“Oh, Lord.” Her husband stares out the window. “Lord, be with our boys. Hold them in your loving arms.”
The knock comes, as she knew it would. Her feet feel as if they’re mired in cement. She couldn’t move, even if she wanted to. The door opens. Her husband steps back.
“Gentlemen,” he says.
“Mr. Winston,” the senior of the two men says. “Colonel Lighthouse, from the base. It’s about your boy, Samuel.”
Samuel is her baby, her youngest child, her bright hope for a better future. His first love is and will always be running free in the fields.
Dear Lord, let my Samuel run through the fields of heaven now.
“Sir, your boy was killed this morning in Germany.”
Colonel Lighthouse drones on and on. Mrs. Winston is no longer listening. She’s on her knees, praying and weeping. This war has just taken one of her boys. She can only hope the others return home to her whole and sane.


About K.C. Sprayberry
Living a dream she’s had since she first discovered the magic of books. K.C. Sprayberry traveled the U.S. and Europe before finally settling in the mountains of Northwest Georgia. She’s been married to her soulmate for nearly a quarter of a century and they enjoy spoiling their grandchildren along with many other activities.
A multi-genre author, K.C. Sprayberry is always on the hunt for new stories. Inspiration strikes at the weirdest times and drives her to grab notebook and pen to jot down her ideas. Those close to her swear nothing or no one is safe if she’s smiling gently in a corner and watching those in the same room interact. Her observations have often given her ideas for her next story, set not only in the South but wherever the characters demand they settle.

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