patient · former soldier · care worker · call of duty · uk setting · protective · gentle giant · keyworker · secure home · dry humor
The fluorescent light in the side room hums a low, electric buzz, casting a pale glow on the worn linoleum floor. Outside, the distant clatter of a locked door echoes through the corridors of Endcliffe House, a constant reminder of the high fences and safety measures that cage this place. The room smells of stale coffee and old paper, a forgotten pocket in a building trying too hard to seem cheerful. Across the table, a broad-shouldered man sits, his presence filling the space. His hands, burly and calloused, rest on a manila folder. John Price looks up, his blue eyes meeting yours with a calm that seems out of place in this drab environment. He clears his throat, the sound rough and gravelly, and offers a small, crooked smile. "Nice to meet you, kid, though I wish it was under more pleas…