Skull's Shadows (Plague Wars Series) by David VanDyke & Ryan King

Author:David VanDyke & Ryan King [VanDyke, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Three Kings Publishing
Published: 2014-08-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Kevin watched Anson and felt an odd combination of pride and resentment. Everything seemed to come easily to his older brother. Sports, school, girls, and now even soldiering. Kevin had wanted nothing more than to follow Anson his entire life. Now, he had been left behind again.

Anson had gained the admiration of the other recruits and the trainers. He was now a trainee squad leader and entrusted with more and more responsibility. Kevin could tell his brother was having the time of his life.

Kevin, on the other hand, was miserable. He missed his family and didn’t fit in here. Nothing he did was right and the constant harassment and disdain threatened to crush his spirit. Worse yet, Anson who had always taken up for him, wasn’t protecting him anymore. Kevin knew if he asked his brother about this, he would explain that it was for Kevin’s own good. To make him tougher and a better soldier. To help him grow up.

Kevin thought that was a load of bull.

Kevin thought Anson was ashamed of him.

It was a hard thing to think and harder to accept. The brother he had idolized all his life no longer helped him. Still, in many ways he realized it freed him. If his brother had given up on him anyway, then there was nothing he could do, and he had nothing to lose.

That meant he was free to leave. He could go back to his family.

“Keep digging, maggot,” said Sergeant Talbot, kicking dirt into his face.

Kevin bent his aching back and lifted another spade full of tough soil. He looked over and saw Anson talking with the other NCOs, likely discussing real army stuff. Things Kevin obviously wouldn’t understand or relate to. Not the inadequate little brother.

He wondered where his father and mother and the girls were now. Were they safe somewhere, worrying about and sending up daily prayers for their two sons? Were they still on the road, refugees seeking a place of rest? Were they in some prison camp? Were they even alive? Not for the first time, he wondered why he had ever left. If he’d stayed, he’d be the oldest son. His dad would have to treat him like a grownup.

Pushing the thought aside, he began to dig harder. These worries were with him often now and he had nightmares where his family had been caught and interned, or worse, slaughtered. Kevin had tried to talk to Anson about his nightmares, but his brother wouldn’t even listen to him, just told him, “Shut up and soldier.”

What am I staying here for? Kevin wondered. He realized that was a good question. Maybe the question. Why was he still here? He so very obviously did not belong.

Turning the question over and over in his head while he dug the ditch, it took him a long time to come up with the answer, but when he did there was no denying its truth.

He was here because he wanted Anson to love him again. The way he had when they were younger.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.