It was one of those nights that I would awake Ghost and myself. I have been having horrible nightmares for three years now. Ever since that deplorable day I have been miserable and lonely. I have been discharged from the U. S. Air Force. My friends were all dead, that is all except my good friend Ghost.
Ghost was a white Doberman, minus the right forelimb. He had lost that limb the same day I lost my sanity. I was a major then. I was in the canine division. I and Ghost would sniff out bombs, drugs, and people in Afghanistan.
I was remembering that frightful period of anguish and numbness when we were attacked. Though women are not allowed in combat, I and the other women still needed to fight. Ghost's leg was torn to shreds when this Taliban tried to stab me in the back. Ghost had attacked him and the man was cutting Ghost's leg up, while Ghost's powerful jaws were doing the same to this man's face. I was killing and doing things I had no idea I would ever do, then blackness over took me. When I awoke in a hospital with a three legged Ghost beside me I nearly killed everyone when I started reliving that tragedy. And so, I was diagnosed with PTSD, and honorably discharged. The president even gave me the Medal of Honor, like what I did was special. My shrink keeps telling me that what I did was amazing, but she has no idea what happened, no does. I tell them what happened, but they all say that I was a hero. For what reason? Being the only one to survive?
Ghost began to run around my bedroom. He did that when he wanted to go out.
"Ok boy, I'll get dressed and we can go for a walk. I can use the fresh air." I told him as I got up from my sweat soaked bed. If it weren't for those big brown eyes, and the fact that the dog hated everyone else, I would have joined my friends a long time ago.
I let him lead us down the street. Ghost seemed to be excited about where he was taking us. He stopped at the entrance of the dog park, and he seemed to hesitate, but before long he was running like as if he still had all four limbs.
"Ghost, you can stop now. I'll let you off the leash." I did as told him, but just say there, watching for something, waiting. Little did I know that what he was waiting for would change both of our lives forever.