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1
Landon
The sun beat down on the tarmac, distorting the barracks buildings and palm trees in the distance, making them hazy with the mirage. Landon stood tall in formation as they waited to march down the road with the heat burning through the uniform on his back.
At least he wasn’t carrying any bags. All of that was sitting at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean in the death trap of a vehicle that had sunk, nearly taking him with it. No mementos, no presents from deployment. He felt strange without his med kit, like his right hand was missing. Thankfully, his M4 was still dummy corded to his body so he didn’t have to worry about not turning that in. CIF was going to have a field day hounding him for the rest of the missing gear. He could just imagine the paperwork he was going to have to fill out.
Circumstances of Loss or Damage:
Your antique equipment tried to drown me.
But none of it mattered that much today.
He was home, back on American soil, and he was going to see his family. They’d deal with the military bullshit later. He was taking leave straight away. A smile lit up his face as his unit was called forward to march down the empty street. After everything that had happened, this formality seemed like a joke, but whatever it took to hold her in his arms again would be worth it in the end.
“Daddy!” a little girl shrieked, ripping herself away from her mother’s arms and running into the halted formation of Marines. Her tiny fist grabbed the pocket of Landon’s stiff uniform, the material dried with the salt from the ocean still clinging to it. He glanced down at her mousy brown hair and her tear-streaked face turned up to him.
“I’m so sorry,” the mother gushed as she pulled her daughter back. Landon shook his head slightly, trying to ease the woman’s panic. But she kept her eyes lowered as she hurried away.
“Fall out!”
The words were a welcome relief and Landon was able to turn and scan the area to see where his family was. He took it in as bits and fragments, piecing together the familiar picture that seemed tilted to the left. Something’s not right.
There were no MWR tents. Not a single bounce house in sight. No waving glitter signs. No cameras positioned for kissing reunion photos. The families that were there huddled under the shade of the administrative buildings and nursed crying children in the abnormally warm Southern California spring day. He strained his eyes as he looked them over, waiting for the glint of fiery red hair to stand out in the crowd.
Where are you? He stood still, watching and waiting, as the troops around him went their own ways. Those that didn’t have families took off toward the barracks rooms. And the ones who did, those expecting a warm hug on their return, waited aimlessly in the hot sun trying not to let the fear show on their faces.
The next unit was already moving forward. Landon stepped off the street to wait. He swallowed hard, stifling the worry that gnawed at his gut. The email. No, he knew his wife. It didn’t matter what she had said, she would never do this to him. She wouldn’t keep his kids away. Unless. Sweat beaded on the back of his neck.
“Dad!” a soft voice called as a Marine was ripped from formation.
“Mommy.” Chubby hands reaching for the woman as the little one toddled forward.
Landon watched the pained reunions with a weight pressing against his chest. None of the kids screaming for their parents were the ones he put this uniform on for and nowhere in the sea of faces was the woman that had stolen his heart years ago. She’s not here.
“Fall out.”
Cpl. Hemming stepped away from the formation as it dispersed, packing a dip into his lip as he moved next to Landon and the small group of Marines who were gathering around him. Neither man spoke as they looked over the crowd, waiting, and the next formation moved into place.
“George!” a woman so pregnant her belly hung out of the bottom of her shirt stood on swollen ankles, panting as she reached the edge of the formation. LCpl Martinez wept openly, thanking God as he stepped away from the street and putting his arm around his wife’s shoulder without a backwards glance. Good for you, buddy. Landon touched his ring gently, closing his eyes and praying this was a mistake.
HM3 Cooper brushed past Landon as he stepped into the dirt behind him. He turned to look at the sailor, but the normally chatty man pressed his lips tight as he scanned the thinning crowd.
The next unit moved forward, and then the next. Men trickled in beside Landon with each formation break, all of them holding their breath and emotions in check. The tension was palpable and no one spoke of the soul crushing ache that came with the knowledge that the ones you loved, the ones you fought for, weren’t coming to pick you up.
LCpl Wallis was in the final unit. The last of the lucky few men and women were ushered away by civilians and the rest of them took off to the barracks. She spun around in a circle, confused, and then her eyes filled with tears as she stood alone in the street. The silence surrounding the end of the ceremony was deafening. She met Landon’s gaze and nodded, wiping her bandaged hand across her face as she sat down on the curb beside him to wait.
The sun continued high in the sky, merciless as it beat down on their backs. The troops around Landon pulled out their phones and checked again for service as if the world had somehow changed in the few hours they’d been on shore. Landon looked at his hands. The ring with its partial tear. He had nothing on him except his boots and uniform. At least his house keys were still in his pocket along with the Leatherman Tessa had given him two Christmases ago and the useless water damaged phone.
“You alright, Doc?” Sgt. Sierra approached Landon slowly. He’d already pulled his suitcase out of his Bronco sitting in the parking lot and had been to his barracks room to change, trading his boots and cammies for Quick Silver boardshorts and flipflops.
“I’m fine.” Landon glanced over his shoulder to the troops behind him as they sat on their seabags waiting. No one spoke or tried to lighten the mood. They were all lost in their own confusion and fear.
“Yeah, I guess my parents didn’t fly in with my girlfriend after all so no one is here for me either.” Sgt. Sierra scratched the back of his neck. “They’re not letting anyone off base, but I was going to head to the PX and see if I can grab a case of beer. You should come with me. Kick it in my room for the night while we figure this all out.”
Not letting anyone off base? Landon clenched his jaw. “No.” She wouldn’t do this to him. Something was wrong. Screw their orders. He’d walk home if he had to. “Do you have an extra water canteen?” He needed water and something to eat, then he’d be on his way.
“Man, you can’t walk that far…” Sgt. Sierra’s voice trailed off when he saw the raging fire in Landon’s eyes.
