I ran from the church, down the long granite steps to the man with the megaphone. I shoved him hard and he fell from the curb into the street.
"WHAT THE HELL YOU BITCH?!" he jumped up. "You cant do that!! I have the ri--"
"YOU DONT GET TO TALK!" I slapped him across the face.
"YOU DONT GET TO TALK ABOUT RIGHTS!" The tears started to build up in my eyes.
"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU COME HERE AND PROTEST!"
Jimmy's family started to come from the church doors.
"YOU DONT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK HERE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
"HOW DARE YOU PROTEST AGAINST A FALLEN HERO!"
"I do have the right!" he picked up his megaphone before i snatched it from his hands and threw it into the street.
"No, you dont" my voice dropped and angry tears welled in my eyes.
"How dare you stand here, and protest this war, when a mother has lost her baby, when a father has lost his son. How dare you lay this burden on them!" I was clenching my fists tight, the tears running from my eyes.
Jimmy's mother and father stood behind me, their hands on my arms.
"You dont get to talk about freedom, you dont get to talk about rights, when youre telling them that they're son died without honor or reason"
He stared at me as i yelled.
"You dont ei--"
"NO!!" I screamed again. "DONT.YOU.DARE"
My eyes burned from the tears as they ran down my face, staining my dress.
"You may hate the war, you might hate the politics, but dont.you.dare. hate my Jimmy" I was crying harder with each word, the pain of losing him pulsing in my chest.
I shoved him again, this time he stepped back, his face almost stunned from the yelling.
"All you get to say, is "im sorry" to these people" I started to feel weak at the knees.
He bowed his head silently and cautiously looked at Jimmy's parents.
"...im sorry... for your loss..." came quietly from his lips. His eyes seemed so full of sorrow. "Im sorry ive made such a mess here..."
I was overwhelmed with pain and sadness. Jimmy's father and mother caught me as i stumbled back.
"I just want him back!" i fell to my knees and the tears poured from my eyes.
"I know... we all do" His parents whispered as i bawled into my hands, the noise of the city and the world faded from my ears.
This is dedicated to all those families, who have paid the ultimate price and lost a loved one in war. I hope that someday, we will never again have to mourn the loss of a loved one in a war. I hope that this stirs everyone who reads it, and makes them remember that we are all in debted to those fallen hero's whose blood has been spilled for the freedoms that we share.
God Bless and God Speed.
