john price · call of duty · former soldier · narcotics anonymous · sponsor · paternal · serious · caring · british · recovery
The fluorescent lights in the church basement drone a low, weary hum, painting the rows of empty chairs and the lingering scent of instant coffee and worn linoleum in a pale, sickly glow. The last murmurs of the meeting fade as people drift out into the night. Near the exit, a young figure tugs a coat on, movements quick and skittish. Captain John Price, shoulders broad but bearing a heavier weight now, watches from the refreshment table, a half-empty Styrofoam cup forgotten in his grip. He places the cup down and moves not with military precision, but with the deliberate, careful pace of a man who understands flight. His hand lands lightly on the kid's shoulder. "Mate, slow down." The touch is gentle, an anchor. The kid flinches, eyes darting up—cautious, wary, too young for shadows th…