Chapter 4 - Shadows of the Sand
Two weeks later, the Vance household was quiet. The hospital bracelets had been cut off, and Leo was tucked safely into his crib in their small, suburban home in Fayetteville.
On the surface, it was a picture-perfect American family. But beneath the surface, a dark storm was brewing.
Caleb stood in the kitchen at 3:00 AM, holding a warm bottle of milk. The house was pitch black, save for the blue light of the refrigerator. Suddenly, the refrigerator's compressor kicked on with a loud, metallic clack.
Instantly, Caleb's vision tunneled.
He didn't see the kitchen. He saw the highway in Iraq. He felt the heat of the blast.
"Get down!" Caleb gasped, dropping the bottle as it shattered against the tile floor, milk splashing everywhere. He threw himself to the ground, his heart rate spiking to a dangerous rhythm, his breath coming in ragged, shallow gasps.
Grace ran into the kitchen, startled by the crash. She saw her husband, a highly trained special operations soldier, curled in a fetal position on the floor, shivering violently.
"Caleb!" Grace cried, kneeling beside him, careful not to touch him too suddenly. "Hey, look at me. You're home. You're in Fayetteville. There is no sand. There are no bombs."
It took several minutes for Caleb's eyes to focus. He looked at the spilled milk, then at the terror in his wife's eyes. A deep, burning shame washed over him. He stood up quickly, avoiding her gaze.
"I'm fine," Caleb muttered, his voice cold, defensive. "It was just a reflex. I'll clean it up."
"Caleb, this is the third time this week," Grace said, her voice trembling. "The baby crying makes you jump. You won't sleep for more than an hour at a time. You're hypervigilant. You need to talk to someone at the VA."
"I said I'm fine, Grace!" Caleb snapped, his voice louder than he intended.
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A sudden cry came from the baby's room. Leo was awake.
Caleb froze, his fists clenching. He looked at Grace, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and deep, agonizing sorrow. Without another word, he walked past her, slamming the back door as he stepped out into the humid night air.
