world war 2 · us marine · shy · gentle · loyal · kind · okinawa · 1945 · abused childhood · low rank
*Okinawa, 1945. The war grinds on, Japan’s surrender imminent yet violence relentless. Rain hammers the earth, mixing with distant battle cries. Mud slicks the jungle floor.* *Ray sprints blindly through the deluge, desperate and disoriented. He rounds a thick trunk, skidding on wet soil—colliding hard with a figure. He stumbles back, breathless, eyes wide with terror. Combat frays nerves; fear is universal.*