Chapter 7: Everlasting Friendship
In the heart of the Hundred-Acre Wood Winnie-the-Pooh was talking to Owl about none other than Christopher Robin. "Do you think he will visit us?" asked Pooh. The Wood's residence knew of Christopher's return since Owl flew in one afternoon months ago telling them of Christopher's return. So far many of them wondered why he didn't come to visit them after for so long. "Give him time Pooh. He came back after so long he's most likely visiting some of his friends and family," replied Owl. "But aren't we his friends too?" Pooh asked. Suddenly something caught Pooh's ear. It sounded like someone screaming. The noise also caught Owl's attention and the two of them ran towards the source.
Along the way the rest of the Wood who also heard the screaming joined them. A little while later they reached the source of the noise. It was a tall, skinny man with brown hair sleeping under a tree that was yelling. They didn't know who this person was or why he was there. Owl leaned over the man, who was wearing a green jacket with black and brown spots. He saw some wording over the pockets, and being the only literate member of the Wood he read the words. Over the left pocket was 'ROBIN' and over the right pocket was 'U.S. ARMY'. It didn't take long for him to realize that it was Christopher Robin.
Owl began to shake Christopher to wake him up. Suddenly Christopher's eyes opened and he jumped up and grabbed Owl by the neck. Owl was choking, but managed to tell Christopher who he was. Christopher's eyes, which were burning with hate, soften and his mouth formed a circle. Realizing what was going on, he immediately let go of Owl dropping him on the ground. "I'm sorry," said Christopher, who was as shocked at his own behavior as his friends were. This was the first time he ever attacked anyone when he woke up from a nightmare. Often his parents would wake him as Owl did when he had a nightmare, but he never strangled them as he did Owl. "I'm sorry," he repeated. All around him his friends had various degrees of shock on their faces and Piglet fainted. The first person to respond was Owl, who was recovering from Christopher's actions. "Quite all right," he said as he stood up, still somewhat dazed. "How long have you had those nightmares?" asked Rabbit. "Ever since I came back," responded Christopher, "I talked to some people at the Veterans Affairs Office in town but they kept saying the same thing, 'Talk to your family, talk to your friends,' but I didn't know who to turn to. Everyone knew about the humvee explosion from the papers but they don't know what it was like that freaking day. But I knew you guys would listen, you always did, that's why I kept. Now it looks like I screw up."
"Well, after what you have been through it's not surprising that you acted as you did. You said wanted to talk to us. Why don't you tell us what happened," said Owl. Christopher sighed and told them everything: Iraq, the humvee incident, and his physical recovery. By the time he finished he saw that the sun was setting and decided to head home. He was finally at peace with himself and ready to talk to others about what happened. As he got up to leave, he gathered everyone for a group hug, as he would have done as a kid.
In the heart of the Hundred-Acre Wood Winnie-the-Pooh was talking to Owl about none other than Christopher Robin. "Do you think he will visit us?" asked Pooh. The Wood's residence knew of Christopher's return since Owl flew in one afternoon months ago telling them of Christopher's return. So far many of them wondered why he didn't come to visit them after for so long. "Give him time Pooh. He came back after so long he's most likely visiting some of his friends and family," replied Owl. "But aren't we his friends too?" Pooh asked. Suddenly something caught Pooh's ear. It sounded like someone screaming. The noise also caught Owl's attention and the two of them ran towards the source.
Along the way the rest of the Wood who also heard the screaming joined them. A little while later they reached the source of the noise. It was a tall, skinny man with brown hair sleeping under a tree that was yelling. They didn't know who this person was or why he was there. Owl leaned over the man, who was wearing a green jacket with black and brown spots. He saw some wording over the pockets, and being the only literate member of the Wood he read the words. Over the left pocket was 'ROBIN' and over the right pocket was 'U.S. ARMY'. It didn't take long for him to realize that it was Christopher Robin.
Owl began to shake Christopher to wake him up. Suddenly Christopher's eyes opened and he jumped up and grabbed Owl by the neck. Owl was choking, but managed to tell Christopher who he was. Christopher's eyes, which were burning with hate, soften and his mouth formed a circle. Realizing what was going on, he immediately let go of Owl dropping him on the ground. "I'm sorry," said Christopher, who was as shocked at his own behavior as his friends were. This was the first time he ever attacked anyone when he woke up from a nightmare. Often his parents would wake him as Owl did when he had a nightmare, but he never strangled them as he did Owl. "I'm sorry," he repeated. All around him his friends had various degrees of shock on their faces and Piglet fainted. The first person to respond was Owl, who was recovering from Christopher's actions. "Quite all right," he said as he stood up, still somewhat dazed. "How long have you had those nightmares?" asked Rabbit. "Ever since I came back," responded Christopher, "I talked to some people at the Veterans Affairs Office in town but they kept saying the same thing, 'Talk to your family, talk to your friends,' but I didn't know who to turn to. Everyone knew about the humvee explosion from the papers but they don't know what it was like that freaking day. But I knew you guys would listen, you always did, that's why I kept. Now it looks like I screw up."
"Well, after what you have been through it's not surprising that you acted as you did. You said wanted to talk to us. Why don't you tell us what happened," said Owl. Christopher sighed and told them everything: Iraq, the humvee incident, and his physical recovery. By the time he finished he saw that the sun was setting and decided to head home. He was finally at peace with himself and ready to talk to others about what happened. As he got up to leave, he gathered everyone for a group hug, as he would have done as a kid.