[Fiction] Dear Josephine

Dear Josephine,

Today we walked in the woods together, the ax hefted on my shoulder and the gun on yours. It was bright early and the snowfall was fresh, crunching under our boots. Our breaths came out thick and white, mingled together and disappeared up into the sky.

Marie

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Dear Josephine,

You think I do not hear you and you keep the short candle sheltered in one hand and Thomas’ letter clutched in the other, but even in the dark, I would know your voice. You have the habit of reading aloud. Every time your voice trembles so does something in my heart. And then I think wicked thoughts, like I hope Thomas does not come back from war.

Marie

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Dear Josephine,

I am sixteen today and even though you are only two years my elder and was only wed last spring, you treat me like a child and give me candied pears and honey cakes. I remember when you pushed my brother in the mud after leaving one day from the school house. I remember how much he liked it. Thomas tells me all his secrets but I have never told him mine.

Marie

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Dear Josephine,

I mended all your socks today and also the ones Thomas left behind in repentance for yesterday’s thoughts. Today I put on his trousers to go walking through the snow to check our traps. Sometimes, I think if I cut my hair I could keep walking on forever and leave this place, but then you would be all alone and so I don’t.

Marie

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Dear Josephine,

Today we walked in the woods together, the gun hefted on my shoulder and the ax on yours. It was bright early and the snowfall was fresh, crunching under our boots. Our breaths came out thick and white, like always, but when the spring comes it will be like they were never there.

Marie

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