The strain of day-to-day fighting is taking its toll. My pilot returns to his parents’ home on a short leave to attend his sister’s wedding, after which he sleeps in his old room.

The ensuing dream sequence involves remembering how his father took him out as a young boy to teach him to shoot in the field behind the house. But the ground begins to rumble. A shot rings out, and, horribly, his father goes down. Suddenly, German tanks and soldiers emerge from the forest. A tank fires on the house, destroying it. My protag wakes with a start, and fresh resolve, since invasion was a very real possibility and had of course already occurred throughout much of Europe.

I think this meets all the criteria for a flashback, as it actually reveals where the protag’s first-rate shooting skills stemmed from. But I can’t say I’ve seen anyone combine flashback AND dream sequence, so if there’s a reason I shouldn’t do it I’d like to know. Anyway, great article. Opinions?