‘Nice to see some new scenery, eh, sir?’

(green fields light breeze)

‘Are you well, sir?’

(short nod avoid eye contact)

‘You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.’

(grimace through tight thin lips)

‘Have you been in this part of the country before, then, sir?’

(not like this not like this last time the sky was on fire and the ground was crumbling under our feet the smoke and the flickering light from the burning buildings coloured the scene a thick bloody red people were running and screaming through the chaos unable to dodge the rain of bullets that fell constantly so much for all my training I couldn’t see I couldn’t find them I couldn’t run I couldn’t save them I couldn’t save them I couldn’t -)

‘Sir?’

‘No, I haven’t been here before.’