Homecoming. And no, sadly not the dance where teenagers get awkwardly dressed up to go dance for a few hours. This was for real.

"Anders, another hour and we're home." I leaned over, shaking my twin. He groggily lifts his head, and I see the red.

"Ok." He rubs his eyes, only making the red surrounding them worse. Don't get me wrong, I'm so thankful that they saved him. But putting him through not being sure that he's ever gonna walk again... now that's hard on someone. He's in pain still, but he said he would rather take that then feel nothing at all.
Home. It's so weird to think that before the war, all anyone wanted to do was leave it. Now, we all couldn't wait to go back.
"You excited to see Lacey again?" Carter, my buddy from grade school who got drafted with us asks me.
"Don't know. It's been three years Carter. I don't know if she even remembers me." I shrug, trying to get off the topic. Anders had a girlfriend, but once she learned about his accident she basically told him to get lost. It's been a sore topic for him ever since.
We chat for the remaining thirty minute ride, pointing out different old landmarks and the ol' swimming hole and creek bed. Doesn't look like it's been touched since we left. Guess there's plenty for us to do around here.
"Here we are boys!" Carter cheers, pulling the truck onto the main street of town. There are people lined up everywhere, yelling and cheering. He slowly drives through, letting us all wave and say hi to people we haven't seen in so long.
"Where am I bringing you two?!" He asks.
"Home to the farm." Anders says, and for the first time in a long time he smiles a real smile.
"Oh, momma told me to tell you. She hired a couple extra hands to help while we were gone." I tell him.
"Oh. Well, we'll be back so she won't need them anymore." He says, and I see the determination in his eyes again.
Carter pulls into our long driveway, off of the north end of Main Street. Our town is so small it's one street surrounded with farms.
I slowly take in each tree, just as I had left it. The Burr Oak still stands tall and proud in the south pasture. The big red barn with the broken out window on the north side is still as large as ever. Oh and the house has a fresh coat of paint and is looking very spiffy and cleaned up. Impressive!
"Where's mom?" Anders asks, and then I realize her truck is sitting in its usual spot.
"Probably making food. Ooooh, I hope she makes fried chicken!" I say. All of a sudden, I realize how hungry I really am, and I can hear Anders and Carter's stomachs as well. Huh. Just then the back screen door slams open, and my mom walks out. In her typical jeans, cowboy boots and tank top, she looks as pretty as she was the day we left. And don't get me wrong, we definitely got our good looks from her. Dad was a rough and rugged cowboy, but she's a all around beauty queen. We still joke as to how in the heck he ever managed to nab her attention.
Carter pulls up behind the truck, and before I can even open the door she's by Anders, opening it and pulling him into a huge hug.
"It's ok momma I'm alive, I promise!" He mumbles to her, but I hear it. Just then, my baby sister runs out. She's six and we love her to death. My mom found out she was pregnant with her right before we lost my dad in a freak farming accident. She's our angel baby as we call her. She launches herself into my arms, and that's when my tears finally begin to fall.