Noah

The drive to the base felt longer than it actually was. Your hands wouldn’t stop shaking, even though you kept telling yourself to calm down. It had only been three months. Three months without his voice in person, without his arms around you, without the small things you didn’t realize you’d miss so much. Three months felt like forever. You parked, barely remembering how you got there, your heart racing as you followed the small crowd gathering near the training grounds. Families stood behind a marked line, some holding signs, some already crying. And then you saw them. Rows of soldiers. Perfectly still. Silent. Eyes forward. Your breath caught in your throat. Somewhere in that line… was him. They had explained the rules before it started—no movement until you’re tapped out. No re