No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

me the glass of apple juice as I’m putting my journal on the nightstand. He eyes it but doesn’t do anything about it. “Want to watch a movie?” Dad grabs the remote and flops down into the recliner. I smile at him. He’s flipping through the channels trying to find something. I love my family and I’m thankful they don’t ask a lot of questions of me. They know I can’t remember what happened to me or how I became like I am but through the nightmares and therapy everyone is hoping that we can finally get the answers to everything. When I try too hard it triggers the nightmares.

“Sure, Daddy, but let’s watch a comedy from this century and not one of those cheesy ones that only you and Mom laugh at.” I laugh when Dad tries to act all offended with his mouth hanging open and placing his hand on his chest which makes us laugh even harder. We start hushing each other which brings on more laughter.

“Your mother is going to come down here and bust us.”

“Probably.” I shrug. Dad puts on Madea’s Big Happy Family. I’m hoping that I can fall asleep soon because I’m exhausted. My head is killing me. I think it was close to six a.m. when sleep finally conquered me. I have a one o’clock appointment with my surgeon. It’s my six-month anniversary of getting this prosthetic leg. I’ve been avoiding physical therapy because it’s bad enough that people think I’m this God damn hero, but to that my friends losing their lives leaves a heavy burden.

My alarm goes off. I sit straight up looking around the room to now figure out where I am.

“Yo, sis. Nice hair.” My brother, Adam, is sitting in the recliner flipping through the television stations. When we stand next to each other we look the same, blonde hair, brown eyes but he’s a foot taller than me. I got my mom’s height.

“Fuck off. What are you doing here?” I throw my blanket over my head.

“The ‘rents asked me to take you to your doctor’s appointment. I didn’t have to work today, and they had to do something at the bookstore.” My grandparents bought the local bookstore about forty years ago and my parents took it over. I’m excited to take over as I have a love of reading, thanks to my grandfather.

“I can call ride share. It’s no big deal.” I smile. I hate that my brother is here babysitting me. I think my parents knew that I wouldn’t go if they didn’t take me. He tells me it’s not a problem. “What’s wrong with my hair?” I try feeling around but nothing seems too out of place.

Adam knows that I avoid looking at myself in the mirror because of my time overseas. I somehow was burned nearby where the medics found me. It was in their report. I’ve read it over and over again. I usually brush my hair then make sure to cover my face. Adam left the room to get some coffee and I start to look around the room, my wheelchair is gone.

“Adam!” I holler his name a few times but he doesn’t answer me. “I need my wheelchair.” I only had the basic physical therapy with my prosthetic leg. I faked knowing what I was doing.

“No wheelchair today, sis.” He stands, looking smug in the doorway.

“Adam, you know I’m not good on my legs,” I plead with him, but the words are falling on deaf ears. “Can you at least give me the wheelchair so I can get to the shower?”

“We are not leaving this house unless you’re standing and let me tell you that I will put that leg on you.” He rolls the wheelchair in for me. He’s too smug right now and I want to punch him in his face so hard.

“Fine. Whatever. But we take the wheelchair in case.” He nods. Adam lifts me up to my chair placing my leg on my lap. I grab the clothes that I laid out last night with the help of my mom. The downstairs bathroom has a shower with a chair in it so I can easily shower. Mom always leaves the towels out for me. I need to get this appointment over with so I can come back home.

Will Adam let me just go to the appointment and home or what does he have up his sleeve?

Chapter Two

Darren Hughes

Flipping the light switch in my bar makes my stomach turn most days, since taking over the bar for my parents after they retired to Florida. My life was supposed to be simple; football career, models on each arm, and money for years but Dad’s stroke ended all of that. I’m an only child so it became my duty.

“This place is a fucking mess,” I mutter to myself as I scan the bar. The chairs are tipped over, food all over the tables and floors, glasses on the bar, and a stink that makes me want to vomit. Before I tackle this mess, I head to my office. I need to know who worked last night. It was the first day that I took off in two years. I had tickets behind home plate for the All-Star game that was held at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Adam and I drove up the night before and we enjoyed it but now that fun is over. Staring into my office from the doorway “Was I robbed?” I’m so confused as I see the desk is a mess. There are papers everywhere, money thrown on my desk, and receipts on the floor. I gather up the money and place it in the safe. I’ll have to figure something out later but find the schedule first. I lift up papers and aha I found it. Michelle, my assistant manager, and Sandy who is still training closed last night.

“Michelle you know better than this.” I dial her number from the bar’s