I want to go home. | Teen Ink

I want to go home.

July 20, 2012
By Honour SILVER, New London, Connecticut
Honour SILVER, New London, Connecticut
9 articles 0 photos 181 comments

Favorite Quote:
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13

"Give me liberty or give me death!" ~Patrick Henry

Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the Lord, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you. ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

"I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery" ~ Thomas Jefferson


My hands cover my ears and I crouch in a corner, explosions seem to come from everywhere, people scream, I squeeze my eyes close, and bite my lip, trying to keep the screams from leaping out my throat. My shoulder moves, someone is shaking me, “Sweetie, please, it’s not real, come back.” I hear as if from a distance, and my eyes open, I’m curled up in the corner of my living rom, my wife is shaking me, “Sweetie, it’s OK, you’re safe.” She whispers, there are tears in her eyes, my eyes drift to the ground, I’m breathing hard. “Explosions, we’re not safe here, we have to go!” I exclaim trying to get to my feet, my wife gently pushes me back down, “Finn, honey, we’re fine, we’re safe here sweetie, you’re not in Afghanistan.” She says, she’s about to cry. I shake my head and force myself to stand up, “No, no, there everywhere, you have to watch where you step, we have to go!” I insist, I see fire around us, the explosions must’ve started it, I grab my wife and try to drag her away, “Come!” I order, “Finn, listen to me, it’s not real!” she says pulling back, Please, just sit down, and take a deep breath.” She begs, “No, no!” I yell, I turn and desperately run from the room, out the door, and turn and keep running, I have to, I have to get away from the explosions, the screams, I keep running my vision seems to shift, I see sand, I can’t seem to breath right as I run. Finally I collapse and lean my back against the wall, my chest is heaving. The explosions still boom in the back round, I close my eyes, I just want everything to go away, I want to go home, I want to go home.

1 in 8 of our soldiers come home with PTSD, they can’t leave the war behind them, support our troop, at home and abroad, help our injured soldiers, don’t let them fight alone.

I thank all our past, present, and future fighters, and I pray that they come home safely. If you see a veteran please thank them for serving and remember all that died to protect you, and all soldiers that are injured and hurting.


The author's comments:
Our soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen fight and die for us, some come home seriously injured, others come home physically but can never mentally or emotionally leave the war. Please remember them in your prayers, and never forget who fights to keep you free!

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 49 comments.


G.rata BRONZE said...
on May. 24 2014 at 4:45 pm
G.rata BRONZE, Manchester, Connecticut
3 articles 2 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
Imagination is more important than knowledge ~ Albert Einstein

Extremely powerful. Heartbreaking, but powerful. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Honour SILVER said...
on Mar. 29 2014 at 1:47 am
Honour SILVER, New London, Connecticut
9 articles 0 photos 181 comments

Favorite Quote:
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13

"Give me liberty or give me death!" ~Patrick Henry

Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the Lord, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you. ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

"I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery" ~ Thomas Jefferson

Thanks, i'll read some of your stories.
Sorry about the paragraph thing..I thought I put them smaller...maybe the formating messed up, probably my mistake though.

on Jan. 31 2014 at 7:50 pm
SmallIdeas BRONZE, Boothwyn, Pennsylvania
4 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
Elbert Hubbard

This was heatbreaking. I like the title, but the paragraphs seemed a little long. Sorry, I know I sound so picky, but that's probably about it. I would be honored if you read some of my stories. Thanks if you can, and if you can't (or didn't like them), sorry.

on Jan. 12 2014 at 12:11 pm
Carly_Elizabeth PLATINUM, Othello, Washington
39 articles 0 photos 131 comments

Favorite Quote:
"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
Roald Dahl

I've had family in the army, but they've never made it home to have PTSD, but I do know that what soldiers go through is basically hell and it's all for us. This is a good peice and it's really moving. The only thing I would say is that try: "show not tell". It's something I tell everyone to work on because it is always something people can get better at, myself included. But just try to explain something without saying what's happening. Other than that I love this. Keep it up! 

on Dec. 28 2013 at 6:42 pm
NaaThompson GOLD, Allston, Massachusetts
10 articles 0 photos 74 comments

Favorite Quote:
If you don't like someone's story, write your own. -Chinua Achebe

  This is what most veterans go through when they return. Am glad you acknowledged them

on Dec. 10 2013 at 1:31 pm
Mushroom SILVER, Skagway, Alaska
7 articles 1 photo 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking."
- General George Patton Jr

"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
-Romans 8:31

This is Beautiful!  5 Stars and God Bless America!.

on Nov. 8 2013 at 6:30 pm
LonelyDancer GOLD, Charlton, Massachusetts
15 articles 0 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
~To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius. Speak your latant conviction, and it shall be the universal sense, for inmost in due time becomes the outmost~

This was beautifuly written. I've read a number of war stories, most long winded, and most taking place durring the actual war. This was something different entirly though, because you showed that in a way, the war is never over. You really captured the situation and the emotions behind it perfectly. And the way it switched from the story itself to statistics was genius, and it left me thinking. Absolutly a beautiful piece of work.

IMSteel BRONZE said...
on Jan. 10 2013 at 6:17 pm
IMSteel BRONZE, Wallhala, South Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 128 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Learn from Yesterday, live for Today, hope for Tomorrow" - Albert Einstein

"Brevity is the Soul of Wit" - The Which

It's has good imagery, one thing that needs fixing is that you need to indent whenever someone speaks.  Keep writing!

on Jan. 6 2013 at 9:22 pm
In_Love_with_Writing GOLD, Easton, Pennsylvania
12 articles 0 photos 389 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13

Wow, this was something else (in a good way). Great job! Can you comment and rate some of my work, please? It would mean a lot!

on Jan. 2 2013 at 1:03 pm
MattMattHatter PLATINUM, Bellevue, Washington
33 articles 0 photos 83 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn. "
Thomas Gray

Fantastic, really. It's just so realistic, and sad. I can't imagine that feeling of terror, the inability to escape the horror of war.

on Nov. 9 2012 at 7:52 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Unknown

This is a beautiful piece. As it very well gets to the point, it is just the right length to make us all stop... and think. I'm going to think about this forever, and the images that you placed in my head are going to stay there like they're smothered in glue. You are an amazing writer. Truly, God bless America!   ~Honor Our Veterans~ Please, RTF, if you don't mind. (Return the favor.)

CammyS SILVER said...
on Oct. 31 2012 at 4:07 pm
CammyS SILVER, Papillion, Nebraska
5 articles 0 photos 188 comments

Favorite Quote:
No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else's draft.
H. G. Wells
Don't say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.
Mark Twain

This was a very well imagined, desriptive piece. I never really thought about after the war. In fact, I try not to think about it at all. But that's what you made me do- think. Thank you.

on Oct. 28 2012 at 12:58 pm
Snowflakes SILVER, Lichfield, Other
6 articles 0 photos 91 comments

Favorite Quote:
I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are. - Alice In Wonderland

This was very emotional to read. It's strange that when we think of the war, we don't consider the affects that those who fought have to suffer.
You captured the feeling extermely well. 
Well done! 

on Oct. 26 2012 at 12:40 pm
GuardianoftheStars GOLD, Shongaloo, Louisiana
17 articles 0 photos 495 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Let's tell young people the best books are yet to be written; the best painting, the best government, the best of everything is yet to be done by them."
-John Erslcine

Gave me goose bumps.  Thank you for sharing the value of our troops through writing. 

on Sep. 7 2012 at 4:18 pm
Allicat001 SILVER, Waukesha, Wisconsin
6 articles 0 photos 170 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love is not someone you can live with, love is someone you can't live without."

"Always stand up for what's right even if that means you're standing alone."

This article has a greatly meaningful and important message to it.  I loved the anecdote you wrote at the beginning of the piece and it's very well written over all. Great job!

AsIAm PLATINUM said...
on Sep. 5 2012 at 3:41 pm
AsIAm PLATINUM, Somewhere, North Carolina
48 articles 3 photos 606 comments

Favorite Quote:
"According to some, heroic deaths are admirable things. (Generally those who don't have to do it. Politicians and writers spring to mind.) I've never been convinced by this argument, mainly because, no matter how cool, stylish, composed, unflappable, manly, or defiant you are, at the end of the day you're also dead. Which is a little too permanent for my liking." — Jonathan Stroud (Ptolemy's Gate)

Oh. My. Gosh. I love this, love the message, love the directness, love the writing, love the imagery. If it was a little longer I think it would have had enough time to make me start bawling. Totally amazing job.

Honour SILVER said...
on Sep. 2 2012 at 3:00 pm
Honour SILVER, New London, Connecticut
9 articles 0 photos 181 comments

Favorite Quote:
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13

"Give me liberty or give me death!" ~Patrick Henry

Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the Lord, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you. ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

"I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery" ~ Thomas Jefferson

Thank you, Wafuleez!! I'll work on proofreading better so those mistakes don't come out, and thanks for telling me about the 'okay' thing, I didn't know that.  :D 

on Sep. 2 2012 at 2:56 pm
augustsun02 SILVER, Hamburg, New Jersey
9 articles 0 photos 76 comments

Favorite Quote:
Write. It doesn't matter if you're overjoyed, furious, miserable, or what. Write to keep those emotions in check while managing to grow stronger.

Great job, and a great message. I only spotted a few things, super tiny things that definitely won't affect your rating. One was that you used "there" instead of "they're". The other thing is that you used "OK". In, like, text or any other online chat, it's fine to use "OK" in that format. However, in proper writing, you'll want to spell it out fully (okay). Other than those two things, this was really great writing on your part. Congratulations :)

Honour SILVER said...
on Sep. 1 2012 at 12:49 pm
Honour SILVER, New London, Connecticut
9 articles 0 photos 181 comments

Favorite Quote:
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13

"Give me liberty or give me death!" ~Patrick Henry

Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the Lord, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you. ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

"I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery" ~ Thomas Jefferson

Aww, thanks, Young! :D  And this doesn't nessicarily have to be about American soliers this is about, soldiers all over the world get PTSD. 

on Sep. 1 2012 at 12:39 pm
youngspeare BRONZE, Nairobi, Other
1 article 0 photos 273 comments

Favorite Quote:
We wouldn't ask a rose that grew from the concrete for having damaged petals; in turn we'd all celebrate its tenacity, we'd all love tz will to reach the sun well we are the roses n these are my damaged petals don't ask me why thank God and ask me how

This is a freaking good piece! It's totally beautiful. All 5 stars..I'm not American but your patriotism is admirable. Hope you make it to the Marine Corps. 
:)