Ben thought about the war a lot.  It was on his mind twenty-four hours a day.  He’d been unable to fully get back into the swing of normal life, so his parents had him move back home, until he got on his feet they’d said.  His siblings tried to help him forget by bringing him to parties they’d been invited to, out to a movie, or just for a drive.

But at parties some idiot would inevitability ask him if he’d killed anyone when he was deployed.  What was his answer supposed to be?  If it was no then he was a pussy.  If it was yes then he was a murderer.  How do you explain that after three tours in the ‘sandbox’ he couldn’t stop checking the crowd for enemies?  Or that he never looked relaxed because he was always at attention?

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