Varied Ways by Frank Quartz

  https://www.xinxii.com/fiction-literature-1/thriller-663?product_id=532124

 

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1823570 

 

Varied Ways

by Frank Quartz

 A book of writing on Frank’s life and more. Frank Quartz. A man from Europe. He loves Amy. He was a soldier. He has lived in many European countries. Just now he works in a bar in Portugal. He was once a soldier and Special Forces operative. He served in Venezuela. That was a war that never happened. It touched him deeply. PTSD hurts him and Amy. Yet Frank has no regrets and would do it all again. Read his story here in the poems and short stories. Are you like Frank?

Understanding

 

 

 

 

Understanding

Frank knew that both he and Amy were type cast in their roles. He was the wounded soldier with PTSD and she was the understanding but struggling girlfriend/ex girlfriend. She really tried her best to support him and be there. By being there she endured her own Hell. That of hearing his stories, feelings and experiences. He was reliving and re-acting them. Amy had never seen a man cry before. A powerful strong muscular one like Frank. She knew he was proud of his service but fought strong demons. The price of what he'd done in the jungles of Venezuela. She wondered how he would be if he never went there? Would they still be together or would some mundane issue ruin their relationship? He wasn’t one for cheating or abusing women. He was quiet and thoughtful. His sensitivity was what added to his troubles. He dwelled on things. She taught him this wasn't a good way. He needed to understand and move on after processing all the events. Frank had seen a specialist several times. Amy had been there. They were raw meetings. It all came out. More than he told her. Afterwards he was calm like he was free. But it came back in cycles. Different things setting it off. In time this pushed Amy away. She put up walls to protect her own sanity and became distant. Then she silently left one day. Frank still messaged her but rarely got a reply. Like being in the jungles he was alone again. His service pistol was on the small bedside table. It was loaded. Always there always ready. Like he was. Frank the soldier. In his small rented room near the bar. He had to go to work. Not think about the killing or death.

***

Riga Finally Begins

 

 

Riga Finally Begins

"Get inside the fucking transport!" the call went out to her. Her was a small shapely female. Noticeable even in her lose combat uniform trousers and jacket with helmet and boots. The man said it again, louder.

 

The transport sat there on the hard sandy ground, engines spooling over. A whistling sound like an odd wind. She looked around and at the speaker. Her eyes were wide and elsewhere. Then she focused on the man before her. She took in his face and nodded. At this time things changed inside the gal. What happened inside the man? She turned and walked away. It was obvious they were no longer together. Yet were before.

 

She adjusted her rifle strap and entered the transporter as the armoured door opened. It closed with a slam. The engines changed pitch and the craft lifted off in a cloud of dust. The man shielded his eyes and watched the craft till it was out of site. Then he shouldered his rifle and returned to his vehicle, a small but bulky hover type thing. He started on the third attempt and zipped off over the flat desert. He kept the speed just below maximum. His face showed no expression. It was good she was gone. After all this time and problems. Onto the next thing.

 

Riga called the man arsehole and many insulting names in her mind. He was expendable like he thought she was. She had gotten what she wanted. The information would change the future of the galaxy. It was just a matter of applying it. What a stupid fool he was. He would soon learn. She sat back and listen to the drone of the engines. Soon she fell asleep…

***