Much had transpired within the last several hours since Daniel's eventful homecoming, however the outside world stayed as unchanging and conformist as the setting of the sun upon Palmdale's barren hills. The temperature had been climbing most of the day and peaked at an unholy ninety degrees Fahrenheit. Just about the same time as Megan hit the rush hour on her way to the local grocery store. With the windows rolled up and air con working overtime, she peered through the windshield as a haze of rippling humidity rose off the bonnets of numerous other vehicles ahead. Agitated and losing patience fast, Megan scoured the faces of the drivers around her. She could not help but let a shallow grin escape at the sight of a young teenager bobbing his head up and down to the sounds of some rock anthem playing in the background. Oblivious to the inaudible groans of his frustrated counterparts beside him.
She took a moment to reflect upon her decision to leave Karly alone with Daniel at home. Megan curled her lip and stared down at the carpeted floor, justifying her reasons for doing so. A sudden terror overwhelmed her but subsided just as fast. He was Karly's father and the most untoward thing she had witnessed so far was a bad dream that led to an unfortunate incident early this morning. Besides, she could not just start delegating out house duties half a day after his arrival back home. A modicum of understanding and patience from her side was all that was needed, she thought. But the image of that gun flared up her angst yet again and the stale panic resurfaced with it. "Just a few hours to collect the weekly shopping and then I'll nip this issue in the bud. As soon as." she whispered aloud.
A loud horn blared out of nowhere, startling her in the process. She was at least two car lengths away from the vehicle in front and traffic had begun fighting to pull into the space before her. She jerked the White Buick into first and accelerated forward whilst holding up an apologetic hand for the driver at her rear. The after effects of that short, sharp shock rocked her somewhat, adding to an already rising unease. She placed a hand over her forehead in preparation for an oncoming migraine, forgetting about the injury. A stabbing pain caused her to yelp out aloud, jolting her hand away from the large swelling hidden beneath the white band-aid.
"What am I doing?" she asked herself and took in a deep breath, only to then exhale slowly. "Just get a grip of yourself. You're losing it, girl." Her mobile phone sat perched on the edge of the passenger seat, ready to take a plunge at any moment. She grabbed it and scanned through the menu settings until she found Brad's number. A quick call just to wish him and his family well would relive this stagnant, stressful enclosure she found herself in. She dialed his number, switching the device to hands-free. Three rings later and Megan was greeted by a jovial, yet charming voice on the other end.
"Hey there, Meg." He said with high enthusiasm. "Thanks for calling. How you keeping?"
"Welcome back, stranger." She replied, trying to keep in tow with the cheerful tone he had set. "So glad you got back in one piece, safe and sound. How's Maggie and Jim?"
"Jim's good. Working hard at the ranch as usual. And well, you know. Mother's will be mother's, right? Only a few hours back and she won't leave me in peace. I'm in my room and she'll come a-knocking every ten minutes or so. "What are you doing? You wanna talk? Do you need anything? It's driving me crazy already!"
Megan smiled, remembering she was talking to a guy barely out of his teens. She laughed at his dubious lines of dialogue. "Hey there, mister. She missed you more than you'll ever know. I had to console her on many a night over the telephone and stop her from worrying herself sick. She wouldn't even eat properly. Look at all the weight she's lost." A wave of relief washed over her as the traffic began to move in a steady, but slow stream forward.
"I know, Megan. You know I'm joking, right?" He let out an embarrassed snigger at her directness. "I'm thrilled to bits just to be able to relax and be treated as a civilian again. Like... Put my feet up, watch some television, catch up with my buddies. It's great. I tell you, what a trip military service can be! By the way, thanks so much for looking after the family while I was away. I owe you big time for that, Megan."
"Don't be silly, Brad. My pleasure. And if you guys still need anything even now, I'm always here to lend a hand. Keep that in mind. Got it?"
"Loud and clear." He exclaimed over the phone's speaker. "How's everything going with you and Brad?"
"Well" She said, almost bringing her voice down a notch or two as if someone else was trying to listen in. "That's kinda the other reason I'm calling. Daniel has been acting... Well, pretty weird...." She opted not to indulge Brad with the details of this morning's fiasco as well as him hanging on to the gun at all times. Brad paused for a moment.
"I'm sorry to say this, Megan, but I kinda expected this call from you." His answer evoked an uncomfortable chill to run down her spine. "Carry on." She urged.
"When he was rescued from the bunker they were holed up in, he was taken to the medic center near where I was stationed. He reappeared a few days after that... In fact, three by my recollection... And seemed absolutely fine to be honest, Megan. Though none of the boys ever asked him about what went down. You know, just in case... You know." He continued when Megan did not respond. "But it was when we were making our way up to you. He like... Started speaking strange. Like talking about how he had to protect his family, under any circumstances. Like you guys were in danger of something. He was really flipping out. I told him to calm down some but he just went on some kinda preachy rant about a governmental conspiracy or something. How I should know better being an army man and such. I didn't say a word after that."
She frowned in nervous concentration, hanging on his every syllable. A feeling of helplessness overcame her as to what to do next, but she managed to hold her emotions back and carried on as normal with Brad. "Really?" She asked. "You sure he wasn't just venting. Like, unloading his mental baggage upon you or something similar. A release from the stress he must have endured at the bunker?" She found herself unwittingly making excuses for him, riling her up even more.
She could hear the cogs turning in Brad's mind as he mulled over her theories for a brief time. "I guess I've seen some of the others do that from time to time. Like when they've just witnessed the death of a good friend up close and personal. Or maybe coming a hair's breadth from meeting the big guy in the sky. Hell, I've seen guys retreating from a skirmish holding one of their arms under the other one. Must have got blown off from the crazy gunfire we came up against. But I've never seen anything like the way Daniel reacted back in the car. Not this late in the game anyways. Why you asking. You alright?"
"Oh, absolutely." She reassured. "It's just he seemed a little off with me yesterday, but nothing to cause alarm or anything." Even as she uttered those words, her thoughts were now focused on getting back to the house as quickly as possible. She bit the corner of her lower lip hard in protest at herself for leaving Daniel with Karly.
"OK, Megan. But I mean, I gotta tell you. I heard a lot of disturbing things about Daniel's time up there. Remember, it was for five days in total. Apparently, the insurgents toyed with them. Took turns throughout the days and nights firing randomly at the bunker so none of them could get any respite. Throwing grenades and planting explosive near to where they were holed up so to scare the living crap outta them. I guess those assholes could have taken them out whenever they wanted but..."
"Sorry, Brad. But I can't hear anymore." Her voice quivered as she approached a wide intersection and prepared to turn the car around.
"Oh, I'm sorry." He said in haste as if to get the apology out as fast as possible. "I didn't mean to upset you. Really... I was just talking, is all. Me and my big gullet."
"It's OK, Brad. Look, I have to go now. I'll talk to you later, OK?" By now, tears had begun streaming down her face, clouding her vision. She wiped them away with the back of her wrist.
"No problem, Megan. Once again, I'm sorry for..." The call was cut before Brad could finish. She turned the car and ran a red light onto the other side of the road, tires screeching upon the dry, sweltering tarmac.
"God, how could I have been so stupid. What on earth was I thinking?" She cried out aloud as the car careened back down the broad highway.
(To Be Continued...)
Inside The Mind of War - Part 1 (My Original Short Stories)
Inside The Mind of War - Part 2 (My Original Short Stories)
It is chilling how war unravels strips down our superficial humanity. No wonder many have PTSD. There are two completely different states of human existence.
Great piece.
Totally, bro. It's effects can have far reaching consequences to the point of total alienation from family, friends and social interactivity within the public at large. I've met a few families who's son have been through albeit minor bouts of paranoid psychosis. It's a very real and damaging disorder.
I also believe more should be done to support and integrate our soldiers back into society upon their return.
Awesome comments from you, buddy. Thanks so much for your kind words. :)
No problem. Always happy to comment where it is deserved :)
Some things can't be undone, and some wounds never heal. I have heard these statements made before about support and integration, and I usually interpret them as "we need you to act cool in front of everyone even though we sent you to hell". It is such an inconvenience on society to face us, now we have to assimilate to meet the needs of society. The word "integrate" in this context is not about vets, its about the inconvenience of having the people that went and did your dirty work now suffering in plain sight. I apologize if this seems critical, but we are not a problem to be fixed, we're people, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters.
Very passionately and well said, @lumlum85 and just for the record, I completely agree with you.
How in the world can vets and the like conveniently do an about turn from the horrors they witnessed at war and suddenly return back into a "normalized" civilian role. To me, that just seems plain unfair and unjust. If there is indeed any needed re-integrational support, families usually suffice in providing that first and foremost. But as to any longer lasting psychological after effects post-war, that's where I believe the government must extend their influence and aid in more facilities required for them to (for want of a better phrase), "fit back into a more societal role". I know that doesn't sound great when expressed so directly, but there is a stark contrast between what happens on a battlefield as opposed to our regular day-to-day routine activities.
I understand there will of course be differing levels of potency in regards to how each individual views their personal military experience. But again, for the more severely affected, the general consensus appears to be that more assistance would be very warmly received. And as to how that may be best implemented? Well, that comes down to the politicians and how they wish to proceed with any such productive, forward thinking plans.
I thank you for your input, @lumlum85.
@ezzy I certainly hope that I didn't come off harshly, I actually posted about this yesterday (personal experience) and will be carefully opening that box with more in the future because it can benefit people to understand veteran struggles and I am hoping to draw more of us out to talk about it.
Absolutely no problem, buddy! If anything, I appreciate you taking the time to put forward your point of view. We're dealing with ultra sensitive subject matter here, I totally get that. So the more authentic the feedback I receive, the better for me. That's the way I see it.
If anything, it'll assist with my writing and keep me grounded as to a situation that might actually occur in real life.
Thanks, man.
I know this is about some heavy stuff and there really are people who come home from war in a terrible state, I have to say this is exciting as well as terrifying, I feel like I'm being taken for a thrill ride! Amazing job my friend!
Thanks so much, @dreemit. I know I'm tackling very real and horrifying subject matter here, but I promise to keep the story grounded in "reality" as much as possible. Your feedback is invaluable as always.
Bless and thanks again, lovely @dreemit...
Woah! The earnings for this mini-series is off the charts!! Even Bitbaby! I only noticed it now. I'm so happy for you, brother! I'm glad that your comeback has given you your due :D
This story is unfolding really well. I know I've said it before, but your treatment of PTSD is topnotch. You've been very meticulous and careful. It's a very touchy subject, so I'm glad you did your due diligence with this. This reads like the first season of HBO's The Leftovers. I don't know if you're familiar with it, bro. The dynamics and characterizations are so wonderfully written. Even though Daniel came back in one piece, one could argue that he's not the same person that left. Would he ever fit back into that father role? We'll see. Gold stars across the board!
Apart from some apostrophe errors, another flawless chapter, my brother!
Hey bro,
Thanks for warm support. I can't say I've even heard of The Leftovers but will be sure to check it out as I'm fascinated by the subject matter. Human nature can be unpredictable at best so the fact that your family are prone to the same set of variables is a frightful indeed. So, yeh. This is my take on what it could be like dealing with someone going through a similar situation.
Again, thank you greatly for reading and I'll be posting the next part soon.
(p.s. Those couple of errors completely passed me by. All done and dusted now.)
Oh you should definitely watch it. One of the most underrated shows I've watched. I must say though, your writing is far superior thus far :D I'm not just saying that because we're bros haha!
I'll be sure to check it out, brother. Thanks for the incredible compliment too! I just hope the rest holds up to your highly benchmarked standards! :)
Sorry I am late to the party here, but loving the amazing dialog here. You really capture the worry that Megan has.
Plus I know you aren't afraid to get dirty with your stories, I remember the one with the teacher. :p
Oh bro, please don't apologise! Anytime I see your name displayed here is an absolute pleasure! Thank you kindly for your comments, man.
I'm a little late putting out the next part but also having a lot of fun with writing it. As you say, I'm not afraid to try to push the boundaries a little (hopefully without "jumping the shark") so thing are inevitably going to get a little more intense, lol. But this is supposed to be a "shortish" story so things will also wrap up soon enough.
Man, I was just reading over my other story "Slow Burn" the other day. Thanks for remembering and drawing such a cool comparison.
As always, bless you for stopping by. I hope to see more fantastic posts from you in the very near future.
(p.s. I now know that you DO have a new post out, lol! Awesome!)
really enjoyed reading this looking forward to reading more
Thank you very much, @avoo1965. Much appreciated!
Exellent writing! Wainting for the continuation! Thank you for this work :)
Bless you for the great comments, @animal-shelter. More coming soon... :)
This just came across my feed while I was searching for users to follow.
Great writing!
Now following.
Oh, man. Thanks very much for your feedback. Very humbled by your kind comments.
Bless you and Steem on, brother! :)
Well executed bud! Once I finish the first book of my saga I´ll put my English skills to the real test and try to translate it, so I could share it here too. If the complete product will be comparable in its quality with your stories, I will be more than happy. Anyway if you have some spare time while writing your stories, you might be interested in a DnD like game I´m preparing. Will you adhere the calling oh mighty writer?
Hey there, @fingersik!
Wow, so you're also an avid author and foot firmly in the game too! Glad to hear it. The experience of cultivating alternate realities for readers to get lost in, is just so rewarding. Bless you for your humbling words for my writing, though I do always strive to better myself following each publication on Steemit. You gotta love this platform! The sheer wealth of creativity within it's pages!
I'll be sure to check out the DnD game. Man, you sound like someone of many talents! Good job, friend! :)
All authors should strive for improvement. Those who do not stagnate eternally. I´m following you from now on so keep them coming! Fecklessness and talent combined, that’s who I am:) I will be honoured if you check on us from time to time and even more if you choose to participate!
Will do, good sir! And thanks once again. :)
You can cut the tension with a knife, @ezzy. Just amazingly written. You captured the feeling of Megan's fear perfectly. Being trapped on the highway, the heat of the day, her realization of terror after the chat with Brad. Unbelievable job at conveying those details and emotions over to the reader.
Astounding, @ezzy. Cannot wait for the next part, don't stop!
Oh, @myb. Thanks so much for those pearls of encouragement. I'm really loving putting this slightly longer story together. I'm also feeling so blessed to be a part of this awesome platform and will aspire to keep on pushing forward. Key events in this tale coming up soon with the next part. Please stick around to check out where we go from here.
Once again, thank you so much for all the wonderful comments, @myb.
Hello my friend
Thanks for this post and the wonderful post
I really liked what I wrote in this post
The selection of the post is so lovely
Happy day to you and always
Lol, thanks...
Crazy set up chapter bro, very detailed with the dialogue, and the idea of Daniel and his men being tortured psychologically. Loved this one, great stuff bro
By the way I know you can't fix this mistake here but maybe if you publish the book
""Loud and clear." He exclaimed over the phone's speaker. "How's everything going with you and Brad?""
You said Brad but meant to say Daniel. I wish we could edit again a month back but now we only have a week to edit our posts after submitting them to the blockchain
Hey, my bro. Thanks for letting me know. Dunno how that slipped past me but anyhow, all these stories are clean draft copies. Will publish them as all in one books in the future on Steemit. But for now I'll make a note so I can change it back to what I meant to write, lol.
Thanks once again for your great comment, bro. :)
You're very welcome bro, if you ever need my editing services, I have a sharp eye for these kinds of things, just let me know.