Various chapters that talk about the futility of wars.
The Homecoming: Short Story
The skies turned dark and gloomy, as if affected by the ongoing war. It was the harshest and the fiercest the fight the world had ever witnessed.
Meanwhile almost an entire country away Cressida prayed for the well-being of her husband- Joseph. She nervously clutched onto the locket she wore. Joseph had fastened it around her neck, before going to war. He was going to fight for his country’s freedom and he promised to return to Cressida once he saw his country’s flag soaring in the sky freely. Realisation dawned upon her- just as much as she loved him, he loved his country.
Still, Cressida longed for Joseph to return ‘back’ home safely, to just be with her. She promised herself this time when he came back from war, she would never let him go to fight at the border ever again.
The next day Cressida couldn’t believe her ears when she heard an announcement over the radio- the war was over. This meant that now Joseph would return home! Cressida’s heart jumped with joy. She ran around doing errands, cleaning the house, she even baked his favourite pie. Shivering with excitement, Cressida awaited Josephs return.
That evening Joseph did arrive. Wrapped in a flag, with three bullets in his chest. “He fought very bravely,” they told Cressida. She was devastated, her whole world seemed to have completely shattered. She cried like a baby, only this time, she didn’t have anyone to comfort her.
Before leaving for the war, Joseph had promised Cressida that the two of them would survive the war, the gore and the misery together. But now he was gone and she was left alone to look at their country’s flag soaring freely in the sky.
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