While sitting in the trench, he shoved his companion into the line of sight. Within a millisecond, the enemy implanted a deep, billowing hole through the head of Mathew, the man he signed up to fight with. The worst part was how trivial the argument had been. He purposely chewed his Wrigley’s gum obnoxiously until Matt could no longer take the sound of his teeth grinding against the Gum and the excessive amount of spit he was slurping up, so they feuded. The conflict lasted for almost half an hour, and, exponentially, the irrational anger for one another arose. With unwanted and uncharacteristic intentions, he threw his friend up out of the trench. In a split and striking moment, his stomach sunk, as he had foreseen his mistake. However, it was already too late.
He returned home as a hollow man. The war, a crucible. The man lived life in the most text book way. He met a young woman named Sophie with a good education and a rich generational history, whom he later married. The words “I do” that he spoke meant everything to her, but nothing to him. Not even half a year later Sophie came to him with news; for she was now bearing a son. Throughout his son’s childhood, he spent his free time sitting in his bedroom, lights dim, thinking about that past mistake-about his war partner. He became a very quiet type, often spending most of his time within that very room. The more he thought, the more the situation in his head had changed. Could the man whom he called friend, companion or partner continued to be described like that? Is that why marriage with Sophia felt wrong?
Once turned 18, The son enlisted in the military with another one of his friends. Daniel had not been convinced nor drafted into this decision, for it was his own doing that got him there. Growing up, he never had a masculine presence to guide him, and, because of this, he felt like joining a war would give him the characteristics his father could never. He regretted telling his mother of this decision, for as soon as he mentioned the idea of it, she crashed to the ground.
“You know what it did to your father,” she said, “Because of his history with the military all he does is sit in his room. Is that what you really want, Danny?” He had no answer. After prying his way through his dismantled mother, he made his way to his parents’ room. Without knocking, Daniel opened the door, casting light into the darkened environment and onto his father’s face.
“Hey Dad… I need to let you know something,” he told him. “I’ve decided that I am going to join the war with my friend. I know that you have past experiences with that and you may feel inclined to not let me, but I am 18 and-”
“I don’t care.” Interrupted his dad quietly. “Just, hold onto your friend, make sure you never let go.” As Daniel got closer, he saw the face of his father more clearly. He was raining tears upon himself, his sleeves soaked. Daniel did not know how to respond, so rather he just walked out, listening to his dad’s sniffles as he shut the door.
A couple months later, Daniel returned home to his mother on a calm day. He now possessed a brutish personality with muscles to go along. Outside mimicked a sorrowful day, and he could feel no wind upon his skin. Together, he and his mom left in a maroon colored convertible to visit the local veteran cemetery.