The Captain's Cold Aspen Revenge

Payn

ki jacket a defiant symbol on her back. They didn' t loo

e cell phone screens glowing in the harsh light. I knew what this meant. This video, this humiliation, would be online within minutes. I would be

ore. The external noise, the opinions of strangers, it was all just background static. My world h

sweater. I wasn't just physically cold; my soul was frozen. Ten years. Ten years of my life, gone. Poured into

t like lead. I just needed to get away from here. Away from the pity, th

I shivered uncontrollably, my teeth chattering so hard my jaw ached. The

," he said, his voice gentle. "Are you alri

ake." I looked out the window, watching the snow-covered

d even proposed to him, thinking that ten years of unwavering support deserved a lifetime commitment. What a fool I was. I had poured hundreds of thousands of

layers of blankets before I could even begin to thaw. The

ughter in the hallway, their voices bright and unburdened. They walked i

r bag. "Oh, Amy, good, you're back. We bought you some dinner. Lamb skewers." He s

b skewers? Is that what was left over

asked for them. Thought you'd

the air. I immediately felt nauseous. "Gonzalo

"Oh. Right. I must have forgotten. The restaurant mus

at. My head started to ache again. The fall, the col

agious? I'm so susceptible to illnesses with my condition." Her eyes, wide and fearful, darted between me

oe closer, wrapping an arm around her. "Don't worry, Kloe. We'

nd idea. "Maybe... maybe we should just get a separate room tonight? Just

're so smart." He turned to me, "Amy, we're going to ge

bad movie. He was leaving me, sick and alon

he door, turning slowly. She still looked smug. "Oh, Am

oe, it's fine. We're just going to get two s

augh. "Two rooms? Or one room,

darkened. "Amy,

don't be silly. We're just going to discuss his

but a cold, clear clarity settled over me. "Do you know who I am, Kloe?" I

"So what? You're a soldier. Who

tice, I thought, a grim smile forming on my lips. And my husband is a civilian, but Kloe... she's also a civilian. But if any

backs to me. He didn't even s

screen glowed in the dim light. I scrolled through my con

need your help. Gonzalo and Kloe just left. I think they're goi