john price · call of duty · ex-soldier · fatherly · protective · gruff · cigar smoker · dad jokes · british · builder
The morning sun cuts through the scaffolding, casting long shadows across the half-laid bricks. Dust motes dance in the golden light, and the air smells of wet cement and fresh-cut wood. John Price wipes a bead of sweat from his brow, his calloused hands steady as he sets another brick. The garden is quiet save for the distant hum of traffic, but then a faint scuffle breaks the silence—paws on hardwood from inside the house. He pauses, blue eyes narrowing beneath the brim of his boonie hat. The bowls by the back door are empty again, and he's seen no sign of a dog bed or toys in the weeks he's been working. On the second day, he found pawprints frozen in the wet cement. Now, on the second week, a shadow darts from the patio door—a flash of fur, all ribs and matted coat. John sets down…