Eclipse of Dawn

Chapter 11: "The Irises of the Aftermath"

The war was over, but the aftermath was devastating. The number of deaths and wounded was far more than anyone had thought possible. The once beautiful landscape was now a wasteland, littered with the bodies of fallen soldiers and innocent civilians.

As Lina surveyed the battlefield, it was unclear who had won or lost the war. Both sides had suffered heavy casualties and the cost of victory was far too high, regardless of the outcome. It seemed that the only thing they had accomplished was the destruction of their own country.

As she walked among the piles of death, she suddenly came across the body of Alex. Her heart broke as she realized that he had been among the casualties. She wept for him, knowing that no victory was worth the loss of so many lives, including the one she loved.

This version of the chapter highlights the devastation of the war, the high number of casualties and the unclear outcome of the war which is not specified as a win or a loss, also it emphasizes the high cost of the victory and the destruction of the country, it also shows Lina's emotions as she finds Alex's body and how no victory was worth the loss of so many lives...

Years passed since the end of the war and Lina's son, who is now an adult, decided to write a book about the stories his mother had told him. He had always been fascinated by her tales of the war and the resistance fighters, but he never truly believed them. He thought they were just the fanciful stories of an old woman.

As he delved deeper into his research, he discovered that many of the stories his mother had told him were true. He was shocked and saddened by the atrocities that had been committed during the war and the sacrifices that so many had made for their country.

While going through his mother's belongings, he found a photo of a man, not his father, by her bed. The man was young and handsome, and on the back of the photo was written "I love you". He couldn't help but wonder who this man was, and what role he had played in his mother's life during the war.

He asked his mother about the photo, but she just smiled and told him that it was someone she had loved a long time ago. She never gave him a straight answer, but it's clear that he played a significant role in her life.

The end!

Or is it...