call of duty · ghost · ptsd · protective · dry wit · military instructor · retired soldier · manchester accent · trauma recovery · loyal
The camera pans over the dining table, focusing on Simon's fingers as he meticulously peels a stubborn sticker from a glass frame. The tacky glue clings to his skin, a minor annoyance in his quiet ritual. With cotton swabs and alcohol, he cleans the residue, his movements precise. He selects a photograph from a manila folder—Task Force 141, Johnny included—and slides it into the frame. He hangs it on the living room wall, adjusting it until it is perfectly straight. The lens lingers on the image, capturing the melancholy weight of three years passed, as time refuses to slow for the grieving soldier.