Right oh! Hello!
Been a while since I've posted a story here. This is my attempt to capture a small glimpse of PTSD (or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in a soldier. In this case... Sgnt. Gary 'Roach' Sanderson. Unfortunately the story refuses to write itself at the moment and I have other commitments, so I may or may not continue this... I'm certainly endeavoring to continue it. A huge thank you goes out to inspiration, information and beta-ing from my best mate. You know who you are.
Clusters of bright orange leaves littered the stone pathway, trampled to pieces by the passage of hundreds of people going about their daily lives. The babble of the central city was at a high. A group of teenage girls trundled down the street; school uniform looking fashionably scraggly, skirts riding too high, shirts unbuttoned to expose the tops of their colorful bras. They giggled as they attracted the attention of a group of passing teenage boys, shouting sweet-nothings at them as they walked by, swinging their hips in an exaggerated manner.
Three men lazed around a small table, sipping occasionally out of steaming white mugs. One of them watched the grey clouds above broodingly, his short-cropped brown hair ruffling lightly in the small breeze. He wore a green merino wool jumper and a pair of worn blue jeans that hung a little too loosely around his hips. While he tried to look as relaxed as his two friends, his hunched shoulders and clenched jaw suggested otherwise.
One of the men reached out, touching him lightly on the shoulder, causing him to jerk away as if he'd been electrocuted.
"Gary! Mate it's OK," he reassured the startled man.
"Yeah I know," muttered Gary, glancing up at his unconvinced friend with a slightly embarrassed smile. "Really Simon, I'm fine."
Simon gave Gary a worried look before shrugging and returning to his drink. He knew what Gary was thinking.
Simon's long, curly blonde hair was starting to brush the collar of his blue polo shirt. No doubt after their leave finished he'd have to cut it again. But, for now, he relished his scruffiness. The group of teenage girls walked past, one fluttering her mascara-laden eyes lashes at them while the others bust into a bout of giggles. Simon smirked at them and turned back to the other man.
"They never seem to change," he snickered, winking back at the girls, who blushed and fell into deeper hysterics.
"You shouldn't encourage them," replied the man, disinterestedly, blowing into his mug to cool the scalding drink.
Simon assumed a mock-affronted expression. "John! I'm shocked and deeply offended! Are you suggesting I'm flirting with teenage girls?"
John prodded him in the ribs, causing Simon to flinch, "That was a long time ago! And she was 21!"
"Touché," murmured Simon, picking up a few crumbs from the empty plate in front of him and stuffing them greedily into his mouth.
John smirked at Simon. "Hungry mate?"
"S'you who's such a tight arse with our rations. M'gonna get every last crumb I can!" he announced with a grin before picking up the plate with a grin and licking it clean, earning him a disgusted scoff from an elderly lady at the table next door.
John barked a laugh and aimed a kick at Simon from under the table. "It's damned near impossible to fill up that black hole you call a stomach."
Gary remained oblivious to the banter, his gaze having returned to the clouds that floated lazily past. He exhaled a little loudly, running a hand through his hair and over his eyes in an attempt to eradicate painful memories, which seemed to play in front of his eyes. The coffee grinder inside the tiny coffee shop whirled to life, crunching up the aromatic brown beans. Gary froze instantly, shoulder muscles tightening painfully and knuckles whitening as he tightened his grip around the hot china mug, familiar mental images dancing around him. Familiar sounds, smells, tastes. Memories he so desperately wanted to forget…
Let me know how I did? I appreciate the time you take and the thought you make to write the reviews! =)
All going well as well as enough support from readers and I'll have another chapter up once I'm happy with it!
Hope you enjoyed.