Coexist: Keegan's Chronicles by Julia Crane

if nothing happened. I felt calm. How could I feel
calm about taking a life?”
    As if he were trying to compose his thoughts
before he spoke, his father, turned away to pour coffee in the
mugs. “We know life’s sacred probably better than most because of
the loss of your mother. However, since birth you’ve been trained
to be a warrior. It’s who you are. It’s in your blood. Taking life
is part of it. You have been so conditioned to accept your role
that it’s desensitized you. There’s no shame in that. If anything,
you are lucky. Nothing would make me happier than knowing you’re
able to escape the nightmares that haunt some soldiers.”
    They lapsed back into silence as his father
placed Rourk’s coffee in front of him and sat across the table. It
was the longest conversation they’d had in a very long time.

    ***
    Thaddeus was relieved when his sister walked
through the door. He looked at her closely; she seemed to be
alright.
    Noticing how he was observing her, she said,
“You could have warned me.”
    “Keegan, you know I couldn’t. Believe me,
it’s much harder for me than you can imagine.”
    She surprised him by saying, “Rourk saved
me.”
    “How do you know it was him?”
    She had a stupid, dreamy look on her face and
replied, “I just know.”
    He was curious. “Did he talk to you?”
    Thaddeus was aware Rourk was assigned to
Keegan, so he knew it was him. He was surprised Keegan had
recognized him. Would his father allow them to meet now? If they
knew each other, it would make it much easier for Rourk to protect
her.
    “Only to tell me to leave,” Keegan responded,
shaking off her reverie. “I’m really tired and need to get some
sleep.”
    Keegan took a long hot shower and then got in
bed. She pictured his grey eyes and felt her pulse quicken. It had
to have been Rourk. Sure she had found guys attractive, but never
in her life had anyone else had that kind of effect on her. She
would have followed him to the end of the world if he asked. One
year and five months and she would be with him for the rest of her
life. She hoped she didn’t have to wait that long to see him again.
Eventually, she drifted off to sleep hoping she would see him in
her dreams.
    ***
    Thaddeus loved going to bed. It was the only
time the visions didn’t haunt him. He always had vision-free,
dreamless nights. It was like a reset switch for his brain and kept
him from going crazy. He closed his eyes and let sleep take
over.
    Looking frantically around, he tried to figure out where he
was. His body felt strange as if he were watching through someone
else’s eyes. Fear raced through his veins. Never had he felt this
scared. Lots of blood everywhere, body parts, screams, dear God
where was he? Green, the land was so green, even though stained
with blood. He looked up and saw a beautiful orange moon. It looked
out of place with all the destruction .
    Thaddeus woke, drenched in sweat. He looked
at his clock; it felt as if the dream only lasted a few seconds,
but two hours had passed. He removed the blanket with trembling
fingers and got out of the bed, his feet unsteady. He didn’t know
what to do, but he had to talk to his father. Thaddeus knew he
would be sleeping, but it couldn’t wait.
    He knocked on the door lightly. Richard heard
the knock and slowly got out of bed, trying not to wake his wife.
He glanced over at her and his heart felt full. Even after all
these years she still had the same effect on him as she did the
first day they met. Richard opened the door to see his son standing
there and the fear that was etched on his face. He knew now was not
the time to coddle him.
    He strode out in front of his son knowing he
would follow. Richard led him down the steps and, opening the front
door, they went out on the porch.
    “Have a seat, son.”
    Taking a deep shaky breath, Thaddeus sat on
the porch swing and said, “I had a dream. Well since I don’t dream
it had to have been a vision.” Waiting patiently,