PTSD

I wake up in the middle of a desert, surrounded by nothing but air and blood-red sand, stretched out for what seemed like eternity. I walk for hours, until I see my best friend. "John! John"! I say as I run towards him. But as I get closer, I realize: John is dead.[[ Next->Old friends?]]

After seeing my long lost friend, I start to wonder where I am. What was I doing before this? Who am I? I ponder that thought as I continue to walk through the barren desert until I see my old comrades, sitting at a campfire. They tell me to join them, but I don't feel like it yet. I wander on without them.[[ Next->The House]]

After what seemed like years, or maybe seconds, I see a house. The first sign on life in this wasteland. I survived this long by..... how did I survive? I start to hyperventilate. My name is... I was born in... I am... years old. I being to cry, and run inside the house.[[ Next->Family]]

I head inside, and I realize after seeing it, that its my parents' house! I am overjoyed, even though I still don't remember who they are. I see a picture of me, a refresher after wandering those dune hills for so long. I walk downstairs and see them on a TV.[[ Next ->The TV]]

I decide to sit down on the couch, where my parents are sitting. They can't see me for some reason, but it doesn't matter. I feel safe next to them. My mother sobbing, and I don't know why. The newscaster says "World War II has officially ended. All soldiers will be returning home effective tomorrow." Was that it? Am I a soldier? The newscaster says something as I leave the home, but I don't pay attention. As I leave, I notice a family photo with my name engraved, "Charles Havlat". So that was my name, huh.[[ Next->Denial]]

I walk the sandy dunes for an unknown amount of time, but that seems to not exist here. I don't know why I am here, but I must get out of here. For my family. As I sit down for a rest, I have a flashback to a visit with the army doctor. "Charles, I believe you have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After seeing your best friend killed in combat, you haven't been able to accept anything the world throws at you anymore." Was that it? Have I been wandering around in my guilty conscience? I don't know what to think. If this is the case, how do I escape?[[ Next->Acceptance]]

My legs hurt. My throat burns. I felt as if I had not tasted the clear taste of water in forever. At last, I wander to my comrades sitting on a bench near the campfire. Join us, they ask. I accept this time, not knowing what else to do. As I do, I taste water for the first time in an unknown amount of time. My legs feel relaxed from sitting on the bench. I finally have someone to talk to. When all these things happen, I hear the final words of the TV at my parent's house. "I regret to inform the Havlat family that the last person killed in combat was your son, Charles. May he rest in heaven." When I look up after hearing these words, my comrades say "Join us, Charles." As they start to disappear and float to the afterlife, I realize that I should probably get going too.[[ Afterward->Afterward]]

Charles Havlat was a real person, and was the last soldier killed in combat. However, this book is entirely fictional. Rest In Peace, Charles Havlat. 11/10/1910 - 5/7/1945