was out of the ordinary. Why would he dress up to come over to her house? Odd… Jenna stood and went to the door, opening it just as he climbed the front steps. Both stopped and their eyes met.

“Kaltag,” Jenna said, trying to mask her curiosity, “you’re up early.” The tan husky said nothing in response, but looked down at his hand as he removed a folded orange bandana, with the still visible stains of crimson red and the name JENNA on the top fold. Jenna’s eyes traveled to the bandana and she gently took it in her trembling hand. She looked back to Kaltag’s face as tears began to fill her eyes. Only then did Kaltag speak, as he pulled the letter from the Navy office out of his coat pocket.

“I’m sorry Jenna.” Jenna saw the letter and knew instantly what it was. She felt her legs give in and she collapsed into Kaltag’s arms. Her sobs grew and she cried out Balto’s name in anguish.

“No… He can’t… he can’t be…he can’t be…” In this moment of despair, she could not bring herself to say the final word. She began to shake and Kaltag held her close, trying his best to comfort her, though he knew in his heart it would do no good. So he let her cry, shedding a few tears himself. When Jenna looked at her bloodied bandana, her mind brought up a million different ways he could have died. Cut to pieces by shrapnel, blown to bits by a shell, choking to death on his own blood, the horrible effect of a neck wound, bleeding to death from a severed leg, rendering him immobile, or worst of all, drowning, trapped in some water-filled compartment with no way out. She shook her head slightly to clear the visions, but only found her eyes resting on her bandana, her tears mingling with the blood and fabric. After an long while, Jenna met Kaltag’s eyes again and asked through a teary haze,

“How…how did he…?” At this, he swallowed hard.

“We don’t really know, but the ship wrecked on the rocks…and a Japanese shell hit the bridge before he could get out. The bandana was all we found.” Jenna nodded, still shaking with an every sob that escaped her lips. Kaltag reached both hands around his neck and took off a necklace, putting it in Jenna’s hand. On it hung a key.

“It’s from Balto. He asked me to give it to you if he…” He trailed off, not wanting to cause Jenna more pain. Jenna closed her hand around the small key and whispered,

“Thanks Kaltag.” She turned and disappeared up the stairs into her bedroom, their bedroom, and went straight to the only place she knew the key would fit. Inserting it in one of the small top dresser drawers, she blinked back tears and pulled it open. In the very back, among spare cartridges, photos, and other war souvenirs, she found a small piece of paper; folded many times and covered in dust, it looked to have been written a long time ago, but to her surprise, Jenna found it was a letter addressed to her, written on US Navy stationary. As her eyes scanned the parchment, Balto’s voice echoed in her mind, speaking to her as clearly as if he were standing beside her.

Jenna,

If you’re reading this then I was killed in action. I’m sorry my love, I tried so hard to get back to you, but it seems the good Lord has called me home. I never meant to leave you like this, and I wouldn’t blame you if you hate me now, but please be strong for me, my angel. Though it may go against everything you know, I beg of you to find the courage in your heart to marry again. Be happy and start a family, if you wish, but please don’t throw your life away for my sake. I love you, Jenna, and I will always be watching over you.

Yours forever,

Balto T. Wolf

As she finished the last line, Balto’s voice faded and silent teardrops fell on the letter. Jenna collapsed onto their bed and cried into her pillow. She rolled over and took a picture off the small table at her bedside. Her muzzle curved ever so slightly into a smile as she gazed upon their wedding day, forever preserved in black and white. Holding the photo tight, she whispered,

And again I see, my yesterdays in front of me,

Unfolding like a mystery, you’re changing all that is and used to be…

On a prayer, in a song, I hear your voice, and it keeps me hanging on, on,

Raining down, against the wind, we’re reaching out, till we reach the circle’s end, and you come back to me again. When you come back to me again…She lay on her bed and cried until the pain that had engulfed her heart and soul lulled her into a sorrowful sleep.

Chapter Four

The next day, Kaltag sat with his head bowed on the chair in Jenna’s living room. The funeral was scheduled for noon, and the clock had just struck eleven. The town priest had been by earlier to console with Jenna, to try and comfort her before the ceremony. She had said a prayer with him, but then asked politely to be alone. The priest and Kaltag had respected her wish. At the sound of boots on the wooden floor, Kaltag stood, meaning to keep any visitors out. When he rounded the corner into the front door, all speech was stolen from his tongue and he stared in disbelief at the man who stood before him. Instinctively, he raised his hand into the military salute and stepped back; barely recovering from the shock, he managed to whisper,

“Jesus Christ…”

Jenna stood in front of a full length mirror, adjusting her black dress, though her heart was far from cheerful. A single teardrop etched its way down her cheek, but she did not wipe it away. She simply stood there, still trying to comprehend what was happening, when she heard the door open. Speaking as she turned around, she said,

“Kaltag, I’m not-” She cut off abruptly when her eyes rested on the person standing in the doorway. Though his entire left arm were wrapped in bandages and his neck covered with dried blood, Balto’s dark blue eyes smiled back at her as leaned against the door and whispered,

“Hey Jenna.” They stood apart for a moment, but it was only a moment. Jenna rushed forward and embraced him. Tears filling her eyes, she managed to say,

“Balto! How did-I must be dreaming! You’ve got to be an angel or something.” Balto smiled.

“If I wasn’t real, could I do this?” He held Jenna close with his good arm and kissed her. When their lips parted, he smiled again and said, “I told you I wouldn’t miss our anniversary.”

“Not for the world,” Jenna finished and kissed him again, with all the passion in her heart. When their lips parted once more, the couple walked hand in hand down the stairs and out the front door, where a surprise crowd awaited them. In the very front stood a group of US Marines and their captain, who grinned and said,

“Sir, I don’t know how the heck you survived that, and I wouldn’t believe it if I wasn’t seeing you with my own eyes, but I just wanted to say: If you ever need a bunch of marines to tag along with you on one of those long stormy nights…Find someone else! Half of my men are still seasick!” The crowd erupted in cheers and laughter, and Balto and Jenna joined in. Captain Marshall stuck out his hand and Balto grasped it firmly in his own good one and shook it hard, surprising Marshall. The marines laughed until a sailor walked up with a folded American flag.

“Sir,” he said to Balto, “This…was supposed to be your wife’s, but I see that she has no need of it now. I mean, why take a flag when you’ve got the bravest captain in the US Navy standing beside you!” Again, the crowd roared in approval until Balto held up his hand to silence them. He then turned to the sailor and said,

“I’ve got a better idea.” The sailor held out the flag and Balto took it in his good hand and went into the house, returning with a long metal pole, which he promptly stuck in the ground at an angle as he tied the flag to it. Leaning into it, he began to push the pole upright and several marines joined in, not knowing they would repeat almost the exact same ceremony atop a hill on a small Japanese island called Iwo Jima just two years in the future. Finally, the pole stood erect and the American flag flapped proudly in the breeze. Smiling, Balto turned back to the crowd and said,

“Thank you all for coming, especially you, Marshall,” he paused and put his arm around Jenna, “But today’s our anniversary, and we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.” He and Jenna then turned and walked back toward their house, ready to do nothing but hold on to one another for the rest of the day. But from where he stood, Marshall caught the last few words they said in unison before they disappeared through the front door,

On a prayer, in a song, I hear your voice, and it keeps me hanging on,

Raining down, against the wind, we’re reaching out, till we reach the circle’s end, when you come back to me again…When you come back to me again…

The End