Prologue

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to forget everything, and just think about one thing: home. Not that I felt homesick or anything, just to make sure I would never forget that wonderful farmhouse I had grown up in.

"Ann!" A gentle voice brought me back to the present. The sad present of the war. World War 2.

I opened my eyes, facing a handsome young soldier. Jack Collins, my new best friend.

"Yes?" I asked, smiling.

"Ann, the captain just got here. He wants to see you."

Oh no! I thought  in fear. That's it. It's over.

"Ann, you coming?" Jack smiled gently at me, his brown hair blowing in the Pacific breeze.

"Oh, yes." I strolled out my tent with Jack, chatting happily, trying to sound relaxed, but in reality, I was stressed. Stressed for the meeting with the captain. I'm sure he'd say I was discharged from the army, dishonorably discharged from the army, for being a woman.

Oh, dear God, help me. I silently prayed.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped in the captain's tent, while Jack stayed outside. I saluted.

"Captain." I said solemnly.

"Lieutenant Walker, you have no right to be here. This is a war, not an afternoon tea party."

I clentched my fists in anger, and my eyes flashed. Of course I knew this was war, I hadn't signed up to something I had no idea of the risks or dangers of. My sense of duty had taken over from the moment I had put the uniform and sailed to a Pacific base, where I was now.

"You'd better get out of that uniform, pack up your things, and leave, except-" he paused, his eyes directly looking into mine, "if you can show me why I should let you stay here."

"Yes, sir." I nodded gravely, understanding the challenge the captain  had told me. “I’ll do my very best, sir.”

“You’d better, Lieutenant. You’re dismissed. Go show me you can be part of this army.”

I nodded again. “Yes, sir.”

After I saluted, I headed out the tent, and Jack quickly caught up with me.

“So, how’d it go?”

“Okay, I guess. The captain wants me to show him I can be a part of this army. It’s going to be tough.”

“I know you’ll be able to, Ann.”

I looked up at him. He was beaming at me. “Thanks.” I whispered.

“Any time, Lieutenant.”

I chuckled. “Why, thank you, Captain Collins.”

We both laughed,  then headed to the big, central building us soldiers used.

Chapter 1: Island Training

I crawled on my stomach, my camouflage uniform blending in the dry fallen leaves and dark ground on the Pacific island my Army base was.

"Come on, Lieutenant." the C.O., or Commanding Officer commanded sternly, looking back at me.

"Yes, sir." I called back grimly, crawling faster, as the whole troop of soldiers continued inching their way across the jungle.

"Why can't we walk?" I grumbled to myself.

After about twenty more minutes of crawling around like insects, swatting away pesky mosquitoes and flies, the C.O. ordered us to get back up and walk.

Finally! We marched in the jungle, mostly camouflaged under the massive-sized palm leaves.

My fellow soldiers and I were accorded a brief respite after marching for about an hour.

"Thank goodness the Captain allowed us to rest." said Agnes Ray, the only other woman soldier on the isand, and my close friend.

"Yes." I chuckled. I noticed the young men, busy chatting and having fun, joking around, in a clump of palm trees a few feet away.

"They look like they're having fun." Agnes pointed out in her lovely Midwest voice.