Smoke & Rain

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Smoke & Rain:

Eddy's life unfolded against the misty backdrop of Ashford Washington, a place where rain tapped out secrets and memories clung like dewdrops to the cedars. His uncle Steve wasn't a war hero in the traditional sense. Instead, he shuffled paperwork in the fluorescent-lit offices of Saigon during the Vietnam War. His nearsighted eyes saw beyond ink and bureaucracy; they glimpsed the heart of things, the courage, sacrifice, and love that bound families.

After Ernest, Eddy's father and Steve's twin, returned from combat with a prosthetic foot, and lost his wife during childbirth; Steve stepped into the role of both uncle and father. He helped raise baby Eddy, the child left motherless, and whispered stories of bravery. His Zippo, once a symbol of survival in the jungles, now flickered during rainstorms, illuminated the darkness in Eddy's life.

But tragedy struck! Steve was killed in a car accident, leaving Eddy and his father broken and lost. Steve's funeral became a gray blur, and Eddy, seeking solace, fled his abusive father, carrying the weight of Steve's legacy. Lost in the woods, rain-soaked and alone, Eddy smoked his first cigarette, a ritual he now shared with Uncle Steve. The burn, the taste, it all felt like communion.

And so, Eddy's journey began, a boy lost in the storm, guided by memories and the flicker of a lighter. Uncle Steve's spirit walked beside him, urging him forward. The rain tapped on leaves, a reminder that survival wasn't just about enduring; it was about finding a place to call home, and treasuring the memories that bind us all together.

Copyright © Skylar Barrett, 2024