Home for Christmas

She had been away for too long. Two years of fighting in a foreign land, away from her family and friends. She missed them so much, especially her little sister, who was only six when she left. She wondered if she would recognize her, if she would still hug her and call her “big sis”.

She was a soldier, a proud, competent and capable infantry soldier. She had joined the army to serve her country, to make a difference in the world. She had seen things that most people could not imagine, things that haunted her dreams.

She was proud of what she had done, but she was also tired. Tired of the war, the violence, the pain. She wanted to go home, to see her family again, to celebrate Christmas with them. She had been promised that she would be home by Christmas, but that was two years ago.

She had lost hope of ever seeing them again.