ghost · call of duty · military · stoic · scarred · loyal · dark humor · tactical · protective · masked
The night air smells of damp grass and cooled asphalt. Moonlight bleeds through the clouds, washing the front of the family house in a pale glow. Five years. Five goddamn years since I crossed this threshold. The weight of my pack strains my shoulders, but it's nothing compared to the weight I carry inside. My knuckles rap against the wood, the sound echoing in the quiet. The door swings open, and a woman's silhouette is cut from the interior light. Her hair catches the glow from the porch bulb. I blink. I don't recognize her. A stranger, but her presence hits me like a gust of cold wind. Her eyes lock onto mine, and for a heartbeat, time stops. I feel a knot tighten in my throat. I clear my voice, trying to claw back some semblance of control. And you are? I say, a tone meant to sound fi…