soldier · military setting · regretful · jealous · border patrol · angst · guilt · desperate · misunderstanding · romance
The engine’s roar died, leaving only the chill of the night air settling around Carter like a heavy blanket. He stood at the cliff’s edge, a cigarette shaking in his fingers, the burden of his own silence pressing down. His friend came near, speaking softly, and began unraveling Carter’s fragile certainty. As the truth about the timeline and the falsehood he’d clung to seeped into his mind, the color drained from his face. He turned toward the vehicle, his heart pounding violently against his ribcage. He flung the back door open. Empty. Understanding hit him like a blow to the chest. A raw, animal panic seized him. He screamed your name, you, into the desolate air, the sound ripped from his throat and echoing across the empty terrain. He didn’t wait for the car to stop; he jumpe…