All I Have by Felicia Rogers

Chapter One
    The helicopter hovered inches above the earth and clouded the surrounding area with dust. The landing skits touched down and the craft wobbled to a halt. A uniformed officer exited the chopper, his medals and ribbons shining brilliantly in the desert sun. An enemy officer waited and escorted him into a makeshift building.
    Several prisoners crowded against the one barred window in the holding compound; another detainee tapped Nicholas' arm. "This is it, Lieutenant. They've come for us. You said they wouldn't forget."
    Nicholas stepped away from the soldier and paced while thoughts of his family raced across his mind. Unbidden hope rose, maybe this was the day of freedom. A commotion amongst the men brought him back to the window. With weary eyes, they watched the officer return to the helicopter. Had they been left behind?
    ****
    Ellie Pickett, twenty-two years old and a recent college graduate, was home for the summer. Hot, humid weather had forced her out of the house and onto a blanket spread on the grass. Today she'd decided to relax and read a book. The last couple of days had been particularly trying because her job search was going nowhere. Applications with her qualifications were scattered all over her small home town. So far there had been no responses.
    For the third time, Ellie applied sunscreen to her lightly tanned skin. With a sigh of contentment, she stretched and watched clouds float across the sky. As a child, she had played a game of naming the shapes of clouds. Grinning, she whispered, "That looks like a sheaf of hay and that one favors a king. That one looks like a plump, white sheep." She studied the clouds until raised voices captured her attention.
    "You did what?" said a woman's irritated voice.
    "Carla, calm down," Ellie's father, Jake, said with forced laughter.
    Carla stomped the dry ground and kicked up dust. "Why didn't you ask me first? Don't we have enough people sucking off of us already? How many mouths do you think we can support?"
    Ellie cringed at her stepmother's words. The comment about people "sucking" was obviously directed toward her. Listening intently, she heard her father's response. "I didn't ask because I didn't think you'd care. I mean, I'm helping an old friend."
    "Yeah, Jake, exactly—an old friend. One you had before me. What if he doesn't like me? What if–"
    Ellie sat up and watched the couple standing by the fence. Carla was playing with her father's collar, a flirty smile on her face. Jake pulled her against his body. "Now that's ridiculous. How could anyone not like you?"
    Ellie squelched her disgust. Standing, she cleared her throat and slapped her thighs loudly.
    Startled, Jake and Carla veered their heads in her direction. "Oh Ellie, I didn't see you," said her dad.
    Ellie nodded and picked up her things, trying to avoid her stepmother's scowl. Walking toward them, she asked, "What's going on?"
    Carla wrapped a possessive arm through Jake's. "Your father has invited a friend and his son to live at the farm for awhile."
    Her father sighed. "You make it sound like they're coming as burdens or something."
    Carla's gave him a disgusted look. "In my opinion, they are burdens. I don't know why they're coming and I don't care. I'm going to the house." She stalked away.
    Ellie asked, "Want to explain to me why these people are coming?"
    Jake leaned against the fence railing. Ellie mimicked her father's posture and waited. On the other side of the fence cows plucked lazily at the grass. Ellie thought about the simplicity of the life of an animal. Nature provided for them. They didn't fret over what would happen, day to day. They lived in the moment.
    Ellie released a breath and waited for her father's reply. She wasn't in a hurry. She could stand and watch the beauty of nature all day. Her father's voice sounded thick as he sought understanding. "It's really not a big deal. Do you remember Shane Wiseman?" She nodded and studied his work roughened hands as he