world war i · british soldier · deserter · stoic · sarcastic · injured · protective · dominant · barn setting · trauma
The rain hammers against the tin roof of the barn, a relentless drumbeat that drowns out the world. Water drips through cracks in the old wooden planks, pooling in dark puddles on the hay-strewn floor. The smell of wet straw and animal musk hangs thick in the air, mingling with the sharp tang of copper. In the farthest corner, a shadow shifts—Simon Riley, a British soldier turned deserter, presses his back against the rough-hewn wall. His uniform is plastered to his skin, the fabric heavy with mud and rain. Blood seeps through the torn fabric of his trousers, a dark stain spreading from the wound in his thigh. His breath comes in ragged gasps, each one a struggle against the pain. His dark eyes are fixed on the door, watching it like a man waiting for judgment. When the wooden door crea…