Imagine Our Life

Bullets flew through the air, and against the sculpture of an angel on either side of the sculpture's base, a Russian male soldier and a Ukranian woman who has taken up arms, caught their heaving breaths. The explosion of a grenade in the distance kicked dirt their way as their ears rung from the destructive sound. They each let out a painful moan, and in that moment, alerted each to the other's presence. The muzzle of their machine guns edged out in front of the statue and they turned abruptly to face each other, their machine guns pointed at each other, their fingers on the trigger, and there they froze as their eyes locked, and under the sculpture of angelic wings they shared a blessed moment, given both the power of telepathy and foresight.

They could hear each other's thoughts as crystal clear as any conversation, and their eyes never left each other's gaze . . .

"You're, you're a woman," the Russian soldier's words are soft and surprised.

"What difference does it make?" exclaims back the Ukranian woman.

"I don't want to be here," says the Russian soldier.

"I don't want to be here either," the Ukranian woman speaks with pain in her heart.

"I. I love Ukraine. I have traveled through many times. You. You and I. We. We could've met at a local pub," and the Russian soldier spoke as if he was describing a vision as clear as watching a movie unfold.

"I. I. Wouldn't be wearing these clothes the Ukranian woman says," beginning to describe the same vision as if watching the same movie. "I would be in a dress. Something short and form fitting, fun and flirty, but classy. I would be with my girlfriends, on a Friday night. I've been single for a while, and hoping, maybe, you never know."

"I walk through the door, looking to just grab a beer, and I see you," says the Russian soldier.

"I catch your eyes, and I look away and run my hands through my hair, and look back at you," says the Ukranian woman.

"I'm coming straight for you," says the captivated Russian soldier. "I ask, 'can I buy you a drink?'".

"I already have a drink," says the Ukranian woman.

"Then I shall ask you instead to dance, and I hold out my hand . . . ," says the Russian Soldier.

"And I place my hand in yours and we . . . ," says the Ukranian woman.

"We touch," says the Russian man.

"We touch," says the Ukranian woman. "And we go to the dance floor and we dance the night away. You lead well."

"I am beside myself dancing with you. The way you move. The way you smile when you twirl. The way you laugh and make me laugh when I mess up. But we make it work. When you placed both of your arms around me . . . ," says the Russian man.

"God, the first time I stare into those eyes," says the Ukranian woman.

"It feels like everyone around us disappears," says the Russian man.

"It's only us," said the Ukranian woman.

"I inch my head closer to yours," says the man.

"I lift my head closer to yours," says the woman.

"I feel your breath," says the man.

"I feel your breath," says the woman.

"We kiss, and then I know . . . ," says the man.

"I feel it too . . . ," says the woman.

"We are for each other," says her lover.

"My always and forever," says his lover.

"I call work, and use my vacation time, and over the next few weeks we spend all our time together," he says to his girlfriend.

"I bring you to meet my family. My mother adorrrrres you. My dad is skeptical but gives you a good strong handshake and and a firm tap on your shoulder," she says to her boyfriend.

"Within a year, both our families and friends are gathered together," he says to his fiance.

"The are arches of flowers forming a canopy, and I look into my dad's eyes, and he is so happy for me as I place my arm within the nook of his elbow, ready to give me away to you," she says to her fiance.

"When I hear Pachelbel's Canon begin, and you step onto the aisle, and I see you in your wedding dress for the first time; you are the most beautiful vision I have ever seen. I try to be strong and not cry, but let's face it, I'm mush. Puddy. Literal puddy. I love you so much," he says to his fiance.

"I love you too," she says back to hers.

"When you make it to me and place your hands in mine, I know as strongly as I knew the first time . . . ," he says to his fiance.

"We whole heartedly exchange vows to each other, and with a kiss," she says to her husband.

"We are wed," he says to his wife. "Marrying you is the happiest day of my life. I didn't think I could be any happier and then . . . ,"

"A year goes by. We have brought a house together in Ukraine, to be close to my family . . . ," she says to her husband.

"Because we are going to need their help!" he says back to the mother of their children.

"Twins! Can you believe it? Twins!" she says back to the father of their children.

"We are one month away from expecting our twins. I'm sitting on the chase of the couch. You come join me and lean back to into me on the chase, and I wrap my arms around you, and you place your hands on mine and we rest them on your belly and name our children . . . ,"

. . .

. . . .

. . . . . . . .

A bullet rings through the air. Blood splatters on the sculpture of the angel, and the Ukranian woman begins to fall. The Russian soldier drops his gun and catches her, and underneath the wings of an angel, with a knowing of a life they would've had with each other, the Ukranian woman that would be lover, girlfriend, wife, mother, and so much more, passes in the arms of a Russian soldier who fell in love with her in a glance. The sounds of pain and grief that flowed out of the man were as horrible and disturbing as the sounds of war itself.

STOP WAR

With Love,

U.B Light