IRAQ, 1999
The worst day of my life

The desert wasteland is littered with the dying and deceased bodies of the soldiers who were previously fighting. Standing there among them all is a lone US soldier, tending to his wounded brother in arms. The dying man lays on the dusty, Iraqi field, sputtering blood out of his mouth and talking to the sky as if God will answer his prayers. The lone US soldier, Cole Everhart, does everything he can to try and aid the dying brethren. It's for nothing though. A final gurgle of blood escapes the soldier's mouth before he becomes motionless.

Cole picks himself up from the ground, leaning against a nearby jeep for support. He looks over at the body of his fallen comrade, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry," he whispers before turning away from the corpse.

Cole's uniform is tattered and bloodstained, and he bears a wound on his shoulder that's slowly oozing blood. His assault rifle lays at his side; his other weapon lost on the battlefield. He needs both weapons now more than ever, but that's just not possible. With nothing left to lose, he stumbles through the blood stained desert, heading towards the Syrian border. It's not much, but it's something.

He finally arrives at the border, having lost the majority of the supplies in the desert heat. Still, he makes it alive. Only a few miles ahead is friendly territory. A wave of relief passes over him as he finally sees the American flag flying high. For the first time in days, Cole feels a sense of relief. Maybe he'll make it out of this place after all.

But that was only the start...

>I came across an American base. After relentless questioning for hours from commanding staff, I was dismissed and scheduled a psychiatric exam, I failed it and was sent back home.

>My wounded shoulder got worse and I suffered from a major infection all throughout my arm not long after. There was no other choice but to have it amputated. No longer fit for service, I was discharged and sent packing.

>I came across an American base, after relentless questioning I was patched up by a medical unit shortly after. I served the remainder of my time, the people and environment around me indifferent to what I experienced. Throughout the remainder of my time, something in my head stopped clicking the pieces together. I became cold, indifferent to everything around me.

>>6280454 (OP)
>My wounded shoulder got worse and I suffered from a major infection all throughout my arm not long after. There was no other choice but to have it amputated. No longer fit for service, I was discharged and sent packing.

>>6280454 (OP)
>I came across an American base. After relentless questioning for hours from commanding staff, I was dismissed and scheduled a psychiatric exam, I failed it and was sent back home.

>>6280454 (OP)
>...cold, indifferent...

>>6280454 (OP)
>I came across an American base, after relentless questioning I was patched up by a medical unit shortly after. I served the remainder of my time, the people and environment around me indifferent to what I experienced. Throughout the remainder of my time, something in my head stopped clicking the pieces together. I became cold, indifferent to everything around me.

>>6280454 (OP)
>>I came across an American base, after relentless questioning I was patched up by a medical unit shortly after. I served the remainder of my time, the people and environment around me indifferent to what I experienced. Throughout the remainder of my time, something in my head stopped clicking the pieces together. I became cold, indifferent to everything around me.

>>6280454 (OP)
>I came across an American base, after relentless questioning I was patched up by a medical unit shortly after. I served the remainder of my time, the people and environment around me indifferent to what I experienced. Throughout the remainder of my time, something in my head stopped clicking the pieces together. I became cold, indifferent to everything around me.

I became cold, indifferent to everything around me. Most personnel on base wouldn't even bat an eye in my direction right after I'd gone through hell, your friends die in front of you and the world just keeps turning anyways. The medical unit had patched up my shoulder, and over time I was able to move just as well as I could before that firefight, before all that shit happened in front of my eyes. It never really mattered though, something changed me, I stopped giving a shit about mostly everything.

Eventually, my service came to an end and it was time to pack up my shit and go. Only thing I ever remember myself thinking was thank fuck I hope this entire part of the world burns away. That was it, just a send off, no reward, no medal, no nothing. Shit doesn't matter anyway, why would I want some shiny gold for watching my friends die? For failing to save them? fuck that

TEXAS, 2003

I touched down back on American soil, back on my home states ground. My family were waiting for me with open arms, they never got the armful they wanted to receive. Sure I entertained the idea I was happy to be back, but I left the army in the first place knowing I did nothing, that I can't do jack fucking shit to have an effect on anything, on anyone for that matter.

The drive home was tense, quiet, part of me even kind of liked that. The less I had to talk in that moment the better things would be, or so I figured.

"Well, I know you just got back Cole. I'm wondering what's next for you, son.. what're ya gonna do with yourself now?" My father asked me.

>Something in the trades

>I'm gonna go back to school

>Nothing

>Other (write-in)

>>6280577
>Nothing