Louisiana

We just got back from an overseas tour. The heat of the desert was behind us, and the sweet smell of salt-air was ahead. We were all walking together down the street, talking about nothing really. We didn't know what to talk about. The dunes and ditches changed us for good. but still, we tried. We were headed towards the beach to swim and check out girls. It's been a long time since we’ve seen good, sexy bodies.

Here, there were plenty. It's amazing the level of attractiveness you notice when all you've seen for the past four years is dust and debris. You end up gawking at everything you see after something like that. We stopped at a few stores, all four of us, to check out the nick-knacks. Chris found one of those generic hula girl car dashboard things, and Jamie ended up buying a snap-back hat that said "DOPE" on it. Chuck and I didn't get anything. We would've rather had the touch of a woman.

Bored, we decide that it’s time to hit the beach. We grab some subs from the pizza shop and continue walking. It starts to rain, but we don’t care. It’s not a bad rain. "The traffic seems busier than usual", Jamie said. Jamie grew up here, so he would know. People are honking their horns and rushing through intersections in their cars. I look around and see the other three guys struggling to keep their cool. A rush like this usually meant a gunfight was coming. "Let's cross the street", I belt to the others. We march across in unison. It was only second nature.

There is a field of grass in front of us, and we can see the beach just after the edge of our vision. People are picnicking on the field, but as the wind and rain start picking up, they all begin to pack up their things in the hopes of retreating from the rain. I notice how everyone is on their phones. It's a shame that nobody is aware of what's around them. Stuck in the literal jail cell of their devices. Heads down, necks curled. People start screaming while running and car horns are honking at everyone cutting them off in the street. It's raining pretty heavily now. "There's a pavilion over there we can hide under until this passes", Chris said.

All of us nod in agreement and start heading towards cover.

As we are moving, we hear the storm alarms going off. Everyone is rushing to their cars and into the stores nearby.

Chuck grabs my shoulder and turns me around. His face is pale and flush at the same time.

“ICBM”, he stutters shakily.

I turn to look, and I freeze as I watch the missile fly through the sky.

"It'll touch down soon. About 2 miles away", Chris murmurs.

I grab Chuck's hand and turn to him.

"we're too close," I say.

I watch the tears stream down his face.

Flash.