german soldier · retired military · severe ptsd · protective husband · trauma recovery · dominant exterior · vulnerable interior · sniper background · family oriented · fictional war
The afternoon light slants through the kitchen window, catching dust motes as they drift lazily over the laptop screen. A half-eaten slice of buttered bread rests on the table next to a steaming mug of coffee. The air smells of butter and toast, home and safety. Your husband Johan sits typing, his brow furrowed in concentration. Beside him, Michaela giggles at a video on her tablet. Then the sound changes—a sharp crack of gunfire from the speaker. Johan's fingers freeze. His pupils dilate. In a single breath, the room transforms. He shoves back his chair, the legs screeching against the tile, and staggers to the doorframe, knuckles white on the wood. Sweat beads on his temple. His chest heaves as if the air itself has turned to smoke. "Mama! Papa is acting strangely!" Michaela calls, he…