Bearskin
A WW2 soldier returns home and copes with the traumas he has witnessed
Somewhere in Kansas, 1946
The Soldier
He returned to Kansas to play the role of Jack Thompson, a twenty-five-year-old, otherwise healthy male, a hero, tall like the corn and the wheat in the fields. Everywhere he went, he meditated on what Jack would do, what Jack would say. Jack was dead. Jack died somewhere in France. This shell, this thing, returned home.
Nights were the hardest for this boy calling himself Jack. He would often wake up drenched in sweat, his mind replaying the horrors of the trenches, the screams of his comrades, and the relentless barrage of artillery fire. The dreams were authentic and relentless, leaving him exhausted and on edge.
During the day, he tried to immerse himself in the farm work, hoping the physical labor would tire him out enough to sleep without dreams. Yet, the memorieAs persisted, a constant reminder of the traumas he had witnessed.
One evening, after a particularly rough day, he sat on the porch, staring out at the endless fields under the setting sun. His father joined him, the two sitting in silence for a while.
“Son,” James finally spoke, his voice gentle, “I don’t pretend to understand what you’ve been through. But I want you to know, we’re here for you. Whatever…