Forgotten Soldiers (Book 1) by Joshua P. Simon

Author:Joshua P. Simon [Simon, Joshua P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Joshua P. Simon
Published: 2014-12-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

“Now?” Zadok whispered.

He squatted just above the creek’s surface. Straddling two large stones protruding from the water, he stared down at the fish playing as though it wanted to go through the narrowing between the stones.

“No. Not yet,” I answered, voice just as low. I stood in the shin-high water, squatting almost as low as Zadok. The cold water sent a chill up my spine I tried to suppress. Shafts of morning sun flitting through the tree canopy illuminated our potential breakfast.

“But he’s so close.”

“Not close enough.” I watched the fish decide his path downstream. “Remember, this takes patience.”

“Now?” he asked, excitement trying to break free as the fish finally made its move.

“Now!” I yelled.

Zadok’s hands darted into the water splashing it up into my face and bare chest. The jerking motion caused him to lose his balance. He pitched forward. My arms shot out to catch him. The shift made my foot slip on the algae in the river bed. We both crashed into the chilly water. If I hadn’t been awake before, I definitely was after that.

I sat up gasping, soaked head to toe. Above my labored breathing came Zadok’s giggling laugh. He was jumping up and down on his way to the bank. “I got it, Pa! I got it!”

In his hands squirmed a ten-inch long, striped yellow fish.

I forgot the cold, jumped up, and dashed toward him, laughing just as loud, partly because of how the catch had occurred and partly because of his reaction to it. I grabbed him in my arms and gave him a big hug. “I’m so proud of you, Son. That was unbelievable.”

“Thanks Pa, you’re a good teacher.”

In that one perfect moment, I got a glimpse of the life I had always imagined I’d have—a life filled with moments that I had taken for granted before I joined the army. Teaching my kids how to fish just as my pa had taught me and Ava had been something I just knew I would do. Never did I think something so insignificant would hold the importance it did now.

I put Zadok down, but we were still jumping around and laughing like fools when I heard Myra’s voice.

“Zadok! Zadok! Where are you?” She sounded almost frantic.

“I’m over here!” he yelled back.

She emerged through the trees a moment later. One hand held the unsheathed dagger I had given her the night before. The other she used to keep my cloak pulled tightly about her. Sleep still haunted her eyes.

“What in the name of the gods are you doing? I was worried something had happened to you.”

“Why?” he asked. “I was with Pa. He’s teaching me how to fish.” He showed her the wriggling catch.

“We’ve got three more over there,” I said pointing. “Enough for breakfast after we clean them. No more luck with the rabbit traps last night, so I thought this would make a good alternative.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked.

“We tried,” said Zadok. “But you wouldn’t budge.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.

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