“Dear John,”
Two words she’d so often written since he’d set to sea because of this accursed war. The task was to escort a convoy… a milk run he had claimed… no real danger.
Her letters, written daily, in the hope they’d find him and in return she would receive those she knew he would write… but it wasn’t to be. Her first letter wasn’t from him but from the navy.
Five words tore into her heart, “all hands lost at sea.”
A letter tossed into the sea in a bottle…
“Dear John, my love, why did you leave me?” it began.
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Ross's Writing Blog 
Jenny Matlock
May 4, 2013 at 02:57
Nicholas Sparks has nothing on you.
What a poignant use of the prompt!
Hope you are well!
Ross Mannell
May 17, 2013 at 09:19
Thanks for the comment.
The prompt gave me thoughts of hearing about the loss of merchant sailors during the war and of those left behind. I didn’t want to follow the “Dear John” line of a breakup.