A few months ago, my boyfriend and I attended a baby shower of one of his friends' wife. The husband invited all of their old platoon mates so it became a mini reunion for them.
The house is small and crowded with testosterone driven marines, giddy wives, over excited fiancés and loud children. Soon enough I got bored with the endless talk of marriage, upcoming marriage, school kids and infidelities oversees. I grabbed an opportunity when I went to bathroom. When Anthony asked, I'm inside the laundry room, playing with a two months old husky puppy. I decided this is a good excuse to my boyfriend because he knows I'm shy towards people but love a dog to death. The puppy fell asleep on my lap and I was left on solitude to read a book I brought with me.
I was at the middle of a good chapter when the puppy started howling. I don't know a lot about animals but someone told me a dog only howl when being threatened. Superstitious beliefs say, they howl in a presence of death or seeing a ghost.
The door opened and I first saw a combat booth that I usually see Anthony wear on duty. Attached to the boots was pair of legs with camouflage trouser. I thought the guy was a late comer so I wasn't surprise when he said, ''Will you tell Abby, Sander is here?"
I looked up to see who the owner of the voice was and wished I hadn't. Because all I saw was a body and a bloody neck without a head. I sat on the floor didn't know what to do, the puppy howling frantically so I just stared at him for about five minutes that felt like eternity to me. I wanted to get out but he was standing at the door way. I was paralyzed by fright and I couldn't move let alone scream. I don't know how and why but he just suddenly vanished. Not long after, Anthony came looking for me.
I was so shaken that the next thing I remember is I was already in the passenger seat of the car. I can vaguely recall saying goodbye so I was startled when Anthony asked me if I am ok. I didn't answer but asked instead if he knew someone that is named Sanders. He looked at me bewildered before answering, ''I don't really know him because I was his replacement. They told me he hung himself with a chain attached to a reversed land rover. He was beheaded.''
I felt like the blood was drained out of my body at that point but I want to know the details. I asked him why he committed suicide.
''Abby [the woman who is throwing a baby shower] cheated on him with Mike. Mike told me when we were still in Iraq that Abby already had four miscarriage and she's thinking it's karma.''
Anthony asked me if Abby mentioned Sanders but I wanted to be honest and answered I was hiding at the laundry room the whole time. I also told him what I saw and he believes me.
Anthony thinks I should have passed the message to Abby or Mike but I told him I was so scared and to think what trouble it going to cause. We decided to keep quite.
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