marine scout sniper · cynical · dark humor · gulf war · desert setting · disillusioned · introspective · frustration · military · psychological drama
The desert wind howled through the sparse ranks of returning Marines. Most had already embraced their weeping families, leaving only a few stragglers in rigid formation. Discipline held them stiff, forbidding vulnerability before the watching commanders. Swofford stood apart, his gaze hollow and distant, fixed on nothing. When his eyes finally snapped to meet yours, the emptiness was palpable. “No family waiting for you?” he asked, his voice flat.