Page 1 of Taken By the Soldier
Chapter1
August 2136
LUKA
Rain falls in angry torrents,soaking the entire camp in an extra layer of misery. I march through the mud, weaving my way around hastily pitched tents and soldiers on guard duty. A sudden flash of lightning illuminates the encampment, revealing the rows of tanks, Humvees, and armored box trucks that rest beyond the sea of tents.
When General Clover’s makeshift shelter comes into sight, I quicken my pace and duck inside just as the downpour intensifies. Warmth immediately envelops me, and a hint of cigar smoke mingles with the smell of rain and mud. Lanterns flicker all around, casting a soothing yellow glow against the walls of the heated tent. I hasten toward the general, who’s standing over a table gazing at a holomap.
“You wanted to see me, General?” My body aches and I long to retire for the night, but I stand at attention, posture perfect and alert as ever.
“At ease, Commander. Yes, Luka. I did.” Dark circles rim the old man’s eyes. His face also appears more sunken than usual, and he grimaces as he straightens and settles a tired gaze on me. War has taken its toll on him. “How is your unit faring in the new settlement you’ve recently established?”
“Very well, sir. The team I’ve brought with me is scheduled to return to our Deep Creek settlement in three days. After we make a detour through Baltimore, that is.”
General Clover scratches his bald, age-spotted head. He clears his throat and regards me with a speculative look. “I suppose you’ll be searching for more women during your travels home.”
“That’s correct, sir. Women, children, or any survivors in need of assistance.”
“Hm. Have you given any thought to our last conversation?”
I suppress the urge to cringe. “I have many responsibilities, sir. A wife would be a distraction.”
The general gives me a fatigued, almost wistful smile, and all the lines on his face deepen. “You need to set a good example for your men. We’re settling down. Starting over. I want us to embrace the same traditional values we held dear on the islands, and the best way to do that is for our soldiers to take wives and start families. Trust me, it’ll help them heal.”
“Sir, with all due respect, the Zasforr Islands are gone, and technically, we are still at war,” I say. “Taking a wife, likely against her will, is not my top priority at the moment. Sir.”
“Ah, war. Yes,that. We have the American president and other top-ranking officials in custody.” The general shrugs. “It’s only a matter of time before a treaty is signed, Luka. They destroyed our island nation, and now we’re stuck here, over one hundred thousand of us. The finest soldiers the world has ever seen, I might add. But it’s time we looked to the future. We won’t be fighting for much longer. We’ve nearly decimated the American military and we occupy most of the East Coast. The war is winding down.” He places his hands on the table and leans forward. “Take a wife, Commander Dawson. That’s an order.”
My mind reels, though I’m careful to keep my expression neutral. I know better than to argue with a superior officer. I also know better than to disobey a direct order. “Yes, sir,” I force out. “Is that all, General?”
“Yes. That’s all. Dismissed.” He waves a hand at the tent flap and sticks a fresh cigar in his mouth.
I step into the dismal night. I pause in the rain for a few seconds and lift my face, letting the cool drops sting my cheeks.
A wife. The general has actually ordered me to takea wife.
Displaced women sparsely inhabit the war-torn cities of the East Coast, along with other survivors. But if you know where to look, you could easily locate them. Finding a woman to claim wouldn’t be difficult, but that isn’t the point.
Though other Zasforran soldiers are clearly ready to begin anew—ready to take wives and start families on enemy soil—I simply can’t fathom it. My heart is too hardened by anger and grief. I can’t imagine moving on. Not today, and not tomorrow. Maybe fucking never. The very idea feels like a betrayal and reminds me of all I’ve lost. Reminds me ofwhoI lost.
I had a wife once. A daughter, too.
But they’re gone now. Casualties of war.
Memories of that fateful day—the day my whole world went dark—return with all the force of a tidal wave rushing in, and breathing through the anguish becomes difficult. The heaviness of despair presses in from all directions. It’s suffocating, this endless grief.
If only I had been there...
I growl. If only I had been there,what?
Logically, I know I couldn’t have single-handedly stopped the nuclear attack on the Zasforr Islands. If I’d been there, I would have perished alongside my wife and daughter, perished alongside millions of my fellow citizens.
Even months later, the scale of destruction and loss of life seem unimaginable. A truth that’s so terrible it’s difficult to comprehend.
There are days I still can’t believe what happened, days I feel as though I’m trapped in a nightmare. Surely this can’t be real fucking life.
My head throbs as I return to my tent.
