(Zindelo's P.O.V.)
In an instance I grabbed my gun, my eyes snapping open before I jolted up and shot my gun at the person. "You missed me, Soldier boy" It was Alfie who spoke and he had his hands up in surrender after I had shot at him. "I thought Tommy told me that you never missed". I took in a deep breath to calm myself down and put away my gun. I sighed before rolling my eyes at him. "I'm not a soldier anymore, Alfie and I'm definitely not a boy" I said to him with annoyence. He smirked "soldiers follow orders. You follow Tommy's orders. And you're having nightmares like a little boy. There for Soldier boy".
"Whatever" I said and rolled my eyes before sitting up properly on the makeshift bed. Granted it was more of a thin matras on the ground. But it was better than what I had during the war, which was nothing. I rubbed my temple to calm myself from the adrenaline that I got from my nightmare. "You where yelling and screaming in your sleep" he eventually told me. "And you decided to wake me up?". He shook his head "you woke up yourself. Then unjustifiably pointed that gun at me". I breathed out my last shakey breath before apologizing to him. He waved his hand in dismissal. "What did I yell about?" I asked him, "nothing that made sense to me. But I did hear a name" he responded.
(Alfie's P.O.V.)
I saw Zindelo go pale quickly and guilt shot on his face before he hung his head low. I knew he probably didn't want to talk about it so I decided to leave him alone. "Albert Walsh" I heard him say the name that I heard him yell and scream. It came out like he was in pain and I didn't understand why. "He was my spotter in the war" I heard Zindelo tell me, "but.... but he got killed in 1916.... because of me". I had tried to ask him what had happened but he didn't want to tell me and just got angry with me. He was a different person than what he was when talking to me about the new nickname I gave him. I raised my hands in surrender. Zindelo sighed calming himself down before once again apologizing. "I can't control them anymore" he said shaking his head. I raised an eyebrow at him, "nightmares, outburst, hallucinations" he explained after seeing my questioning look. "I had them when I came home. But after that fake near death expierence, they began to get worse" he told me. He gave a clear description of the nightmares, vivid dreams, visual flashbacks, and he could also smell burnt flesh and feel the smell of death. At times he would be afraid to sleep because of the nightmares he was having. He also told me he tenses up when there was mist, fog or a small cloud of smoke flowing from the smelting factories. In the war he often needed to go into building or cross fields that had just been gassed to search for someone or something. I still noticed that he was angry while talking but it wasn't directly aimed at me. And it felt more like he was sad with anger. But whenever I asked about Albert Walsh he became offensive again. I eventually gave up asking about Albert. Maybe Tommy knows more about this Albert Walsh?
Published: 2nd of November 2022
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pluto_bit28