The War That Never Ends (1st Place)

“Dr. Jameson, please come in.” Laura smiled and swung open the door.

“Where is he?”

“I finally got him out of the cellar. Now he’s in the bedroom. He’s drinking again.”

“Stay out here.”

“I hear that damn quack! Get him the hell out of here.” Yelled a cross voice from down the hall.

“Perhaps you should…”

Jameson held up a hand and disappeared down the hall.

“Ben, I’m here to help you.”

“I don’t need help.” Ben swigged the last of a fifth of whiskey down and threw the bottle against the wall next to the doctor.

“I think you do. Why were you in the dark in the cellar?”

“You wanna know? You’ve been asking me for months. Bastard. I live this everyday. Ever been under heavy fire Doc?”

“No, but I’ve helped a lot of veterans.”

“Figures. I can’t get her out of my mind. I don’t have a heart of stone.”

“Who?”

“We were taking fire just north of Bagdad. Small arms. The wind whipped the desert sand and stung your face. My buddy and I had just stopped a family for a routine search. Automatic weapons. The mother took a direct hit to the chest, while the father ducked behind a building. The daughter, about five, just stood there. Didn’t move. Why didn’t she move, Doc?”

“What happened?”

“A rocket grenade landed right behind her. She just stared at me. I took one step forward and boom. My ears didn’t work and I thought I was hit, but the blood wasn’t mine. She was all over me. I can’t get her out of my mind. Not a scratch on me. Those eyes.” Ben shook his head with a vacant stare. “Shoulda been me.”

Dr. Jameson hugged the goliath of a man – weeping. “It’s all right.”


300 Words
Flash Story Must contain: "cellar, fire, stone"