SHORT STORY
2009 HONORABLE MENTION

The Peace Plan
Jessica McCardell
16 years old, Maryland

                There was a pair of newlyweds, Sarah and Lucas.  Lucas was a U. S. Marine and a month after he married Sarah he found out that he had to go to Iraq and bring peace to the country.  He told his new wife about his plan that he was going to bring up to his sergeant.  His idea was called The Peace Plan.  It would be very tough to do considering he wanted to get all the Iraqis in one room and try to negotiate with them to stop the war.  He wanted a plan so they could be allies and end the eight year long war.  He was trying to think of what to way to them and when, and if, he got the chance to.

                “What is it that I should say if I got the chance to?” Luca asked calmly.

                “Well,” Sarah stated.  “I believe you should speak from the heart and don’t hold back.”

                “Exactly what would you say?”  asked Lucas.

                “I think I would ask them what are we fighting for?  After all does anyone know the answer to that question?  I would also explain to them how much better their lives and their families’ lives would be.’ explained Sarah.

                “That sounds good but I have to sleep on it, I mean I have one more month to think about it all.” Said Lucas as he walked off to bed and kissed his wife.

                Sarah didn’t really know how she felt about his idea or peace.  When she thought of the word peace she could only think of one thing, the Peace Corps.  Later that night she looked in the dictionary and found the word peace, “A state of harmony among people or groups” it read.  She didn’t understand it herself.

                Their lives went on for the next few weeks; then it was time for Lucas to go off to war.  He was elated because he just found out a week before his deployment that he was going to be a father.  Lucas was determined to bring peace to Iraq because he didn’t want his child to grow up with his/her father gone at war.

                Lucas didn’t know when he was going to tell his sergeant, but he didn’t want to rush things so he decided to wait a couple of weeks.  While he was in Iraq Sarah would send him care packages with letters, pictures, and many other assorted things.  She would always encourage him about The Peace Plan, and didn’t want him to give up or stop trying.

                The weeks went by and he finally built up his courage to tell his sergeant about his plan.  He was almost there when his life was cut very short.  He would never get to talk about The Peace Plan, see his baby girl, or his wife again.  So now his wife carries on his legacy.