The Letter

Steve picked up a piece of paper that was tied with a ribbon. It had fluttered down out of the sky to land near where he was enjoying a bit of sun on the grass. Attached were bits of balloon and a long thread. Steve glanced around and unrolled the paper. He was surprised to see it was a letter.

Dear Ari,

Here it is, another year gone past and I am still here. Oh, how I long for the day when we are together again. I don't know if you are watching over me; I like to think that you are, that you can see all I do. Would you be proud of me? Would you shudder in shame at the things I have done for our people? Our people, such a strange concept. All inclusive, but at the same time, we are all isolated. When I stop to think about it, they are not my people, they are only the people, the people that I serve and protect, the people that I have no doubt, one day I will give my life for. I would have given my life for you. Then I have to stop and ask myself, why do I do this? Is it to shut the world out, keep everyone and everything at a distance?
I've never said it to anyone, not that anyone knows much about me, But I never got over loosing you. I stopped caring for a long time. In fact, if you were watching me, you know that I nearly laid down and died that winter. Then, I had so much hate for so long that I didn't know what to do. And then when my hate was gone, I didn't know who I was anymore. I simply continued in what I had become. There was nowhere for me to go, no one to go to. I became a shell, I still am a shell in some ways. Hollow, with a great void where my heart should be, where you should be. Maybe that is how I am able to do my work; to kill people, and give little thought to it.
If there is some great eternal realm after we die, will you be there waiting for me?

I love you Ari, with all the love that I have left in me, all my love has always and will always be yours.

David

Steve nearly choked when he saw the signature. He recognized it.