Requiem for the Caged

Heartache is inevitable, but malevolence is immoral.


In the wide open spaces and big blue skies of the Wyoming countryside, you can get in touch with yourself. Out there, a discouraging word is truly seldom heard–between the few cloudy days. Away from the anarchy of the big city, where you actually have time to breathe. With that much time for quiet reflection, you learn how to appreciate all the small things and make peace with your demons.

That's the world Jason Brandtley comes back to after serving his country. Life back on the family farm is just as he remembers- idyllic, bucolic, and peaceful. Some peace and quiet on the range would be perfect.He is a caring, gentle man who longs for a normal life. He would love to meet 'Miss Right' and have a family someday.


Jason struggles to pick up the pieces of the life; he is traumatized by his experiences at war, his nights are filled with wretched, wrenching nightmares, his mind flashing a constant morbid tableau of the horrors he endured at the hands of the enemy.

Life is far from beautiful.


It can't rain all the time, and Jason soon meets his own personal ray of sunshine, Andrea Harder. Andrea works as a waitress in Cheyenne, playing host to local roughnecks, taking their poor attempts at pick up lines with a sharp tongue and quick wit. Andrea would loathe to admit it, but she has given in to the more persistent a time or two, which has led to some horror show scenarios in her love life. Men have abused Andrea her entire life; she is having a hard time shaking yet another psycho boyfriend when Jason comes into the picture. There was something charming about the Jason she met in the park, but Andrea forgets about the cute stranger and goes back to her dredged life. Andrea panics when Jason persists with his advances, which leads her to encourage his beating by her ex-boyfriend. The frustrated, PTSD-filled Jason is sent over the edge, and he takes extreme measures to get through to the girl.

This love is patient, but it is not kind.

She will be his.

It will just take time.