Much had transpired within the last several hours since Daniel's eventful homecoming, however the outside world stayed as unchanging and conformist as the setting of the sun upon Palmdale's barren hills. The temperature had been climbing most of the day and peaked at an unholy ninety degrees Fahrenheit. Just about the same time as Megan hit the rush hour on her way to the local grocery store. With the windows rolled up and air con working overtime, she peered through the windshield as a haze of rippling humidity rose off the bonnets of numerous other vehicles ahead. Agitated and losing patience fast, Megan scoured the faces of the drivers around her. She could not help but let a shallow grin escape at the sight of a young teenager bobbing his head up and down to the sounds of some rock anthem playing in the background. Oblivious to the inaudible groans of his frustrated counterparts beside him.

She took a moment to reflect upon her decision to leave Karly alone with Daniel at home. Megan curled her lip and stared down at the carpeted floor, justifying her reasons for doing so. A sudden terror overwhelmed her but subsided just as fast. He was Karly's father and the most untoward thing she had witnessed so far was a bad dream that led to an unfortunate incident early this morning. Besides, she could not just start delegating out house duties half a day after his arrival back home. A modicum of understanding and patience from her side was all that was needed, she thought. But the image of that gun flared up her angst yet again and the stale panic resurfaced with it. "Just a few hours to collect the weekly shopping and then I'll nip this issue in the bud. As soon as." she whispered aloud.

A loud horn blared out of nowhere, startling her in the process. She was at least two car lengths away from the vehicle in front and traffic had begun fighting to pull into the space before her. She jerked the White Buick into first and accelerated forward whilst holding up an apologetic hand for the driver at her rear. The after effects of that short, sharp shock rocked her somewhat, adding to an already rising unease. She placed a hand over her forehead in preparation for an oncoming migraine, forgetting about the injury. A stabbing pain caused her to yelp out aloud, jolting her hand away from the large swelling hidden beneath the white band-aid.

"What am I doing?" she asked herself and took in a deep breath, only to then exhale slowly. "Just get a grip of yourself. You're losing it, girl." Her mobile phone sat perched on the edge of the passenger seat, ready to take a plunge at any moment. She grabbed it and scanned through the menu settings until she found Brad's number. A quick call just to wish him and his family well would relive this stagnant, stressful enclosure she found herself in. She dialed his number, switching the device to hands-free. Three rings later and Megan was greeted by a jovial, yet charming voice on the other end.

"Hey there, Meg." He said with high enthusiasm. "Thanks for calling. How you keeping?"

"Welcome back, stranger." She replied, trying to keep in tow with the cheerful tone he had set. "So glad you got back in one piece, safe and sound. How's Maggie and Jim?"

"Jim's good. Working hard at the ranch as usual. And well, you know. Mother's will be mother's, right? Only a few hours back and she won't leave me in peace. I'm in my room and she'll come a-knocking every ten minutes or so. "What are you doing? You wanna talk? Do you need anything? It's driving me crazy already!"

Megan smiled, remembering she was talking to a guy barely out of his teens. She laughed at his dubious lines of dialogue. "Hey there, mister. She missed you more than you'll ever know. I had to console her on many a night over the telephone and stop her from worrying herself sick. She wouldn't even eat properly. Look at all the weight she's lost." A wave of relief washed over her as the traffic began to move in a steady, but slow stream forward.

"I know, Megan. You know I'm joking, right?" He let out an embarrassed snigger at her directness. "I'm thrilled to bits just to be able to relax and be treated as a civilian again. Like... Put my feet up, watch some television, catch up with my buddies. It's great. I tell you, what a trip military service can be! By the way, thanks so much for looking after the family while I was away. I owe you big time for that, Megan."

"Don't be silly, Brad. My pleasure. And if you guys still need anything even now, I'm always here to lend a hand. Keep that in mind. Got it?"

"Loud and clear." He exclaimed over the phone's speaker. "How's everything going with you and Brad?"

"Well" She said, almost bringing her voice down a notch or two as if someone else was trying to listen in. "That's kinda the other reason I'm calling. Daniel has been acting... Well, pretty weird...." She opted not to indulge Brad with the details of this morning's fiasco as well as him hanging on to the gun at all times. Brad paused for a moment.

"I'm sorry to say this, Megan, but I kinda expected this call from you." His answer evoked an uncomfortable chill to run down her spine. "Carry on." She urged.

"When he was rescued from the bunker they were holed up in, he was taken to the medic center near where I was stationed. He reappeared a few days after that... In fact, three by my recollection... And seemed absolutely fine to be honest, Megan. Though none of the boys ever asked him about what went down. You know, just in case... You know." He continued when Megan did not respond. "But it was when we were making our way up to you. He like... Started speaking strange. Like talking about how he had to protect his family, under any circumstances. Like you guys were in danger of something. He was really flipping out. I told him to calm down some but he just went on some kinda preachy rant about a governmental conspiracy or something. How I should know better being an army man and such. I didn't say a word after that."

She frowned in nervous concentration, hanging on his every syllable. A feeling of helplessness overcame her as to what to do next, but she managed to hold her emotions back and carried on as normal with Brad. "Really?" She asked. "You sure he wasn't just venting. Like, unloading his mental baggage upon you or something similar. A release from the stress he must have endured at the bunker?" She found herself unwittingly making excuses for him, riling her up even more.

She could hear the cogs turning in Brad's mind as he mulled over her theories for a brief time. "I guess I've seen some of the others do that from time to time. Like when they've just witnessed the death of a good friend up close and personal. Or maybe coming a hair's breadth from meeting the big guy in the sky. Hell, I've seen guys retreating from a skirmish holding one of their arms under the other one. Must have got blown off from the crazy gunfire we came up against. But I've never seen anything like the way Daniel reacted back in the car. Not this late in the game anyways. Why you asking. You alright?"

"Oh, absolutely." She reassured. "It's just he seemed a little off with me yesterday, but nothing to cause alarm or anything." Even as she uttered those words, her thoughts were now focused on getting back to the house as quickly as possible. She bit the corner of her lower lip hard in protest at herself for leaving Daniel with Karly.

"OK, Megan. But I mean, I gotta tell you. I heard a lot of disturbing things about Daniel's time up there. Remember, it was for five days in total. Apparently, the insurgents toyed with them. Took turns throughout the days and nights firing randomly at the bunker so none of them could get any respite. Throwing grenades and planting explosive near to where they were holed up so to scare the living crap outta them. I guess those assholes could have taken them out whenever they wanted but..."

"Sorry, Brad. But I can't hear anymore." Her voice quivered as she approached a wide intersection and prepared to turn the car around.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He said in haste as if to get the apology out as fast as possible. "I didn't mean to upset you. Really... I was just talking, is all. Me and my big gullet."

"It's OK, Brad. Look, I have to go now. I'll talk to you later, OK?" By now, tears had begun streaming down her face, clouding her vision. She wiped them away with the back of her wrist.

"No problem, Megan. Once again, I'm sorry for..." The call was cut before Brad could finish. She turned the car and ran a red light onto the other side of the road, tires screeching upon the dry, sweltering tarmac.

"God, how could I have been so stupid. What on earth was I thinking?" She cried out aloud as the car careened back down the broad highway.

(To Be Continued...)

Inside The Mind of War - Part 1 (My Original Short Stories)
Inside The Mind of War - Part 2 (My Original Short Stories)

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Hope you enjoyed this short story, please look out for more on the way... (author: @ezzy)