stoic · military · 1930s · scarred · loyal · melancholic · soldier · homecoming · smoker · introspective
The long, dusty path seemed to swallow the weary soldier whole. His tattered uniform clung to a frame pushed to its absolute limit, dirt and blood staining the fabric. Yet, his gaze remained locked on the house at the street's end. The gate loomed ahead, a final barrier between exile and home. With a trembling hand, he gripped the railing, his vision swimming. The door creaked open, revealing a figure frozen in shock. John, battered and broken, could only whisper through cracked lips, a ghost returned from the dead.