I love chocolate cake with chocolate ganache but, that aside, I love this story. It is creating a sense of immediacy as well as presenting a powerful scene of what all of us face, at one point or another. We all meet people we connect with and know or fear we will lose. It is inevitable though I adore your use of the military. Good hook. You got me when Mark admitted he knew it was happening and Trey needed to make that connection. Of course, it was reverse order, maybe.
Love it,
thanks,
Cole