In flash fiction, NLAPW

Flash Fiction–The Wounds of a Soldier

NLAPWby NLAPW

Wounds of a Soldier

He was trained to stare into the eyes of others and watch the blood run out.
They devoted his thoughts to the historic idea of killing at any cost.

When he returned home, he was called a hero. They drained him with saluted salutations and hooked him on oxycontin, clorapan and opiates, which eventually led to heroin on the streets.
“We become wounded in the soul,” he said. “Something no drug can fix.”
He told me once that no one should ever come back alive, no one.
That the true mercy of war would be if no one came back alive.

DIANNE LYNN BENANTI
PALM SPRINGS BRANCH, CA

10 comments

  1. judith Fabris says:

    Dianne- this needs a wider audience- opinion pages of newspapers. It’s powerful, its sad, and so true. What are doing to our wounded warriors?

  2. BARB WHITMARSH says:

    GOOD PIECE. OXYCONTIN IS AN OPIATE SO MAYBE YOU CAN THROW ANOTHER NON OPIATE MED IN OPIATE’S PLACE. I BETTER GO LOOK, THOUGH THE HUBBY TAKES NO OPIATES AFTER BEING SHOT 3X IN NAM HE TAKES A BUNCH OF STUFF NON NARCOTIC. YOP WAR IS TRULY HELL.
    I THINK WHETHER THEY COME BACK OR NOT THEY STILL “NEVER COME BACK”

    THANKS,
    B.W.

    • DIANNE LYNN BENANTI says:

      Thank you for the info Barb… Having very little knowledge of these drugs…I actually made up the word “clorapan”. Now knowing oxycontin is an opiate, I ll be sure to exclude one of those words for any future publishing…
      My very best to you and your husband…Thank you so much for your commentary.

  3. Jeanne Frost says:

    This piece touches the soullessness of war.
    I would say this is not fiction but necessary writing to touch our souls enough to stop going to war.
    Writing powerful enough to open our minds to stop fighting each other.

    • DIANNE LYNN BENANTI says:

      I couldnt agree with you more Jeanne. Thank you so much for your heartfelt comment. It was by the way “made up” in my mind. However, last Veteran’s Day, I was home watching so many tragic stories about war…which is what inspired this piece.

      I too think we all should start visualizing peace verses war.
      Thank you again for your comment.

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