Being a military brat

A few years ago, I attended an all-class reunion for one of my high schools, the overseas one.  The reunion was held in the American South. I now live in the buffer zone between the rolling hills of the wooded American Midwest and the open spaces of America’s prairie. Travel is nothing new to me, but because I’m no longer in danger of being abandoned on a different continent from my children and husband, I don’t fly. I don’t have to fly now, so I won’t. When I can afford it, I do take trains. I love trains.

For the reunion a train wasn’t on the agenda so getting from here to there and back again took a few days of driving each way. On my return journey in the passenger seat, and while scavenging the names of towns along our route for character names, I entertained myself by sketching out a mystery story.

What could happen at a reunion?

Would old grudges now be passé? Or would the lack of ‘closure’ keep alive long-ago hurts? Military kids rarely have long friendships — somebody always moves. Sometimes, these moves happen in the middle of ‘things’ — friendships, feuds, puppy love, or broken hearts. What happens when these former-kids get back together? Have they really and truly said goodbye to all that?

In stories, the Three-C’s: conflict, conflict, conflict, are the necessary ingredients among the characters.  So, by the seat of my pants (I’m usually a devout plotter), I whiled away the miles throwing the characters into each other’s way.

Remembering my story

After I returned home, Life took over, like it does, and I forgot about the story. Then late last year, my graduating high school class at a stateside school held their 50th anniversary reunion (yes, we were all astonished at the number, too). The get-together, local this time, reminded me of my story. Could I revive it? I gave it a shot.

So, without further ado, Kaleidoscope: A Murderous Reunion.

 

In this era of identity theft, for military kids who had no connections other than their long-ago temporary home, how do you really know whether the people who show up for a reunion are who they say they are? And what do you do when one of those people repeatedly makes mistakes?

 

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