We Will Be Together Again - March 1, 2011

1940.
--Elena--
WE cling onto each other with all the energy we had, as if we were trying to meld into each other, leave an imprint of each other on ourselves. The fabric of his uniform, one of a soldier's, rubbed against my cheek, rubbing away the tears i shed as they fell without pause.

Finally we parted at the peals of the bells, announcing the departure of the train leaving for the battlefield. The place where James was going to go, but i couldn't. For the violent, brutal war to fight for our country against the dreaded Nazis. Thinking about this causes the tears to spill over again; he smiles softly and pressed a kiss to my lips.

Then he left.

The first letter i received was 3 fretful months later and all it said was:
i am sorry i had to leave, don't cry
don't despair, please believe in me.
Wait for me, and my love
i will never leave you,
because there will be the day
where we can be together again

As i clutched his words to my heart, i couldn't not believe him. James would never lie to me, no matter what anyone else said. As people twittered about the rising death tolls, i steeled my heart. As the newspapers read increasingly of the bombs used in the war, i turned a blind eye. As the radio blared on about this being the most horrendous war in history, i stilled my shaking hands. I did not believe anything else, i could only wait everyday by the door, waiting for him to come back to me.

2000
-- James--
As i saw her, the love of my life, lying on the threadbare mattress in this poor excuse of a home, the extent of what i could provide her with, my heart slowly tore apart. Her breathing was shaking, each breath rattling through her chest, causing her to wince as her life slowly drained away. Her withered, stick-thin body lay almost lifelessly, if not for the slight inconsistent rise and fall of her chest. Her eyes, still as gentle and understanding as sixty years ago, gazed painfully into mine. Her dry, cracked lips curled up and i shakily pressed a last kiss softly to them while my heart collapsed in defeat.

Then she left.

I found her last letter days later and all it said was:
i am sorry i had to leave, don't cry
don't despair, please believe in me.
Wait for me, and my love
i will never leave you,
because there will be the day
where we can be together again

i will be waiting. . .

-Leong Jia Min