21

Winchester Home, Boston, Massachusetts
July 20, 1973

Honoria Winchester Kensington sat in the living room of her brother Charles Emerson Winchester III's Beacon Hill mansion with her niece Whitney Winthrop Winchester listening to a familiar classical piece on the antique phonograph when Charles entered the room.

"Father, listen, isn't this the most beautiful piece you've ever heard? It's Mozart's Quintet for," cut off by her father.

"Clarinet and Strings, I know now Whitney turn that off."

"Father, I though you loved music?"

"Charles, what has gotten into you?"

"WHITNEY I SAID TURN THAT GOD FORSAKEN SONG OFF!"

"Yes, father."

"Charles, what is your problem, that used to be one of your favorite pieces, what happened to you over there?''

"Whitney, I'm sorry I raised my voice at you, our flight for Ottumwa leaves in an hour, see if your mother needs any last minute help."

"It's alright Father, I love you."

"And I love you Whitney."

Whitney left the room and Honoria just stood there and stared at her brother, and then she began to speak.

"Charles, what happened in Korea?"

"Honoria, I can't."

"Charles you can, you haven't been the same since you came back, tell me what happened."

"There was this group of Chinese musicians, I taught the piece to, who were taken away from me in a prisoner exchange. One day we got a batch of wounded, and only one of the prisoners returned. I was told the other four were killed instantly and the fifth died in front of my eyes."

"Charles, I'm so sorry."

"Honoria, thank you," he said hugging his younger sister who was now on the verge of tears. From that day forward Charles Emerson Winchester III was able to move past what had happened in Korea, he was no longer held prisoner by the demons of his past.