Luke Hall is a character who has changed a lot since I first started writing him into Mila’s Shift in 2013. Over time, he became a best friend to Mila, and recently, transgender. Oddly, I’ve found I like writing trans characters because of the complexity involved. Not only is it a challenge getting the pronouns right (and not confuse the reader), but there is a certain depth of personal conflict that can arise that’s absent in other groups of people. They’re also a group of people that are woefully underrepresented and not understood.
Anyway, hope you enjoy.
Luke took a deep breath as she returned to the barracks. Walking up to her computer, she slid the screen up and logged into her bank. She scowled as she stared at the balances, but she hadn’t expected it to be any better. She transferred a little more into her “Transition Fund” as she called it and logged off.
The balance reverberated in her brain, taunting her with the long road ahead. It was hard to remember how far she’d come when she still had so much further to go. She knew going in that military service wouldn’t make her rich, that the military could be unkind to people like her.
The beginning of a journey is supposed to be hopeful.
And sometimes it was. Nothing made her prouder than the day she finished training. She wanted to do something meaningful with her life. She wanted to make a difference. A grin crossed her face. Plus, I get to see the stars.
With renewed energy, she bounced off the bed, and grabbed her bag, racing out the door. She’d promised her family she would visit this weekend. Knowing her mom, she would have dinner waiting for her when she got there. She stumbled out of her room, her enthusiasm stuttering as she passed people in the hallway. She tried to smile, but it felt forced.
Ducking her head, she tried to ignore them. No one knows. This isn’t high school. She felt awkward in her own skin, always had, but high school had been hell, a hell she never cared to revisit again.
It took about an hour to reach her parent’s house from Clark NSS base. She stepped out of her car, her grin returning as she bounced up to the front door. With a flick of her wrist, she entered. “I’m home!”
“Lucky!” her older brother, also home for the weekend, peeked out from the living room, and laughed. “You look ridiculous. Go change.”
Luke smiled, smacking him on the arm as she ran to the stairs. Once in her childhood room, all the uneasiness melted away, surrounded by a space she’d always been able to be herself. She blindly threw on clothes, tossing her military togs haphazardly around the room, and bounced out wearing a headband, yoga pants, and a shirt that says, “Girls Rule.”
At the bottom of the stairs, her brother shook his head at her. “No they don’t.”
“Um, you’re delusional.”
“And how many women presidents have there been?”
“Mom!” Luke yelled, raising her eyebrows at her brother.
He scowled at her.
“Yes, Lucky?” she said as she exited the kitchen.
“Dustin disagrees with my shirt.” She pointed a finger at the lettering.
A knowing, motherly look crossed her face, and she walked up to Dustin and patted his shoulder. “Dear, we only let you think you rule.”
[mybooktable series=”the-darkest-day” gridview=”false” header=”show”]
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