PTSD

You sit in your tent, reading a letter from home. These have become more and more rare. This one came today, and was sent six months ago. Outside, it rains. As you read, you think realize that this letter is so old that everything about it may not be true anymore. The bell for lunch rings. [[Keep reading->Reading on]] [[Go to Lunch->Lunch Hall]]

Letter from your wife: ...which is why I sometimes stay late at work. I hope you understand, but don't worry about things here. We'll get by, and... A rumble rattles your tent and everything inside! [[Run to the weapons barracks.->Weapons Barracks]] [[Run to the meal barracks to check on your comrades.->Meal Barracks]] [[Stay and do nothing.->Shock]]

You enter the Meal Barracks to eat a much needed meal. You cling to the letter, but pocket it after getting in line. Your friend, Lt. Dan, greets you in line. He stands right behind you in line, but you weren't aware of him. [["Hey there Lieutenant! How are you?"->Conversation]] [[Just nod and wait for him to start conversation->Conversation]]

Just as you're about to reach the barracks, a large ball of fire consumes it. The shock of the explosion blows you back to the ground. You feel something wet on your chest and see your green shirt start to darken. Everything goes black. [[Continue->Home]]

You rush toward the barracks only to see a swarm of soldiers running out. Everyone seems okay. Large mortars are heard repeating, and you watch several comrades go down. There seems to be no time to check on them. In the distance, your friend Lieutenant Dan yells for you to head for the barracks and try to set up anti-air artillery response to the attack. [[Run to the Weapons Barracks->Weapons Barracks]]

As you sit apathetically in your tent, you hear screams and feel the ground continue to shake. You heart aches to help. You've trained for combat, and seen it before. You try to stand, but your legs don't move. Why can't you move? A large shake topples the bunk over and you roll onto the ground. At least now you can crawl a bit. As you start to head for the tent door, the whole tent blows completely away over the top of you. You see hundreds of soldiers running, falling, fighting. You aren't among any of them. An officer is running toward you with fear in his eyes. He's screaming at you and pointing towards something behind you. You push up in a panic to try and look behind you. You manage to do so without even feeling your arms respond. Just as you turn around, you feel a sharp pain in your temples and everything goes black. [[Continue->Home]]

Lt. Dan starts to recount to you some of your duties this week involving a long list of cleanings and repairs to equipment in the weapons barracks. Just as you're beginning to zone out, thinking of the letter, when something shakes the tray right out of your hands. Lieutenant Dan drops his food and bolts for the door. You follow him. You both get out of the building and see the weapons barracks consumed in flames. You both run for a buggie. As you approach a vehicle, Lieutenant Dan falls on the ground. You turn and see your friend dead on the ground. A sharp pain enters your back, and you fall to the ground. Everything goes black. You have died. [[Start over.->Combat]]

You wake up in a hospital. You don't know where, but it would appear to be back in the States. You look over and see a man dressed in a general's uniform looking at pictures on the wall. [[Talk to him?->Talk]]

You try to talk, but nothing more than a weak grown comes out. The man turns and addresses you: "At ease," he says smilingly. "You're going to be alright. How are you feeling." You force out a whisper. [["I'm fine."->Going home.]] [["How is Lt. Dan?"->The News]]

"That's good to hear," the man says. He explains that you will be "re-stationed" on the home front. That's his way of sending you home, which doesn't sound so bad to you. But once you're recovered and walking and in a car headed home, you remember your lost comrades, and the horrors of battle. [[Continue->Home 2]]

"He made it son, but not well. He lost both of his legs, and won't be fighting again. But that's probably true for you too son. It will take some time before he's recovered, but Lt. Dan should be back home in his home state of Pennsylvania before long." [[Continue.->Home 2]]

It's been four months now since you've been back. You sit watching Television. You're wife now works extra hours in order to support the family. You haven't been able to find a job yet outside the military. [[Keep Watching TV->Show]] [[Call Lt. Dan->Call]]

A program starts that has caught your attention. It's a war-time mini-series. You start remembering all the horrors of war as you watch it, and can't stomach it. A battle sequence starts, and you panic. In stead of turning off the television, you limp out of the room. You hide on the other side of the kitchen counter to "take cover," but the sounds of the shells and debris still ring in your ears from the other room. [[Call someone->Call]] [[Go upstairs->Bedroom]]

You sit as the phone rings... ...someone finally answers. It's a woman. You ask to speak to Dan Jensen. The woman sounds concerned. "You mean you never heard? ... Dan took his life two weeks ago." You hang up in a panic and run upstairs away from the sounds of the T.V. [[Continue->Bedroom]]

You sit on your bed in a daze. You pull open a dresser-drawer and see your glock with its safety on in its case. Your mind wanders and you don't know what to do. You see a picture of your wife on the wall. [[Call your wife and explain your feelings->End 1]] [[Pick up the gun->End 2]]

Your wife talks to you until you are able to calm down and leave the room. She talks you through turning off the T.V. downstairs. Then she calls a neighbor to go see you until she can get home. Once she gets home, she calls the VA hospital and gets connected with a support group. You get diagnosed with PTSD, but they help you recover from the symptoms of anger and suicidal thoughts that plague you. You're lucky. Some never make it out of combat alive. [[Start Over->Combat]] The End.

Thoughts fall to the force of emotional gravity and you eventually take your own life. This was the wrong choice. [[Start over->Combat]]