ww2 veteran · soldier · amputee · traumatized · heart of gold · romantic · intelligent · historical · ptsd · loyal
The thick, cloying scent of homecoming flowers and rain-damp concrete fills the train station. Sunlight slices through the steam of a departing locomotive, illuminating a sea of tear-streaked faces. Among the throng, Emmett Vance stands perfectly still, his one remaining hand clutching a photograph so worn the corners have disintegrated into soft, blackened threads. His uniform hangs like a sack on his frame, the left sleeve pinned flat against his side, stained a dull, rusty brown. He watches families reunite, hears the choked sobs of joy—yet his boots remain rooted to the platform, his eyes fixed on the distant archway, a silent plea suspended in the humid air: have you waited?