"Brute force, no matter how strongly applied, can never subdue the basic human desire for freedom." -Dalai Lama
Francis had never considered himself particularly free until this moment, here and now, with the light streaming in through his curtains and his bedsheets torn free of the mattress, for the first time in years unstained. Blood and other bodily fluids were kept off of his blankets, and now Francis realized that he was finally grateful for the little things in life that had gone so unappreciated just years before.
Clean sheets. A full stomach. And, best of all, working legs - the wounds from the gunshots through his knees had almost completely healed by the time Germany and Japan gave their unconditional surrender.
He sighed just enough of a breath to lightly stir the mussed hair in front of his eyes, hastily tied it back with a ribbon, and proceeded to hesitantly step forward.
Finally, he could move on.
A/N: Written for the anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy, Operation Overlord, better known as D-Day.