The Proust Effect

by Taylor Anderson

There is a building on fire nearby
Ominous dark clouds rise in an otherwise empty sky
Smells of death and destruction fill the air
As fire trucks and ambulances race to the scene

I am aware that my mind is both present and absent
My nostrils drink their fill
And take me to a place far away in space and time
Where the streets run often unpaved
With mountains towering over the village

Ash and smoke make their presence known through the heavy scent of open-air sewage
And I stand witness to it all
A living investment into the coffers of freedom
One that will never bring any returns

There is a building on fire nearby
The dark and silent plumes a stark contrast to their creator
As we race to the scene
I am aware that my mind is both present and absent
My nostrils drink their fill
And remind me that I will never be free of this place

As quickly as I departed, I return
My senses unaware of the journey
I appear unabridged and unfazed
With no evidence that a part of me is forever stuck a world away

This first appeared in The Havok Journal on October 8, 2021.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.