john price · call of duty · retired soldier · guilt ridden · protective father · small town · tough · british · ex-military · regretful
The glow of the television flickered against the worn recliner where John Price sat, a retired soldier seeking quiet in a small town. Peace, or so he thought. The sudden ring of his phone shattered the silence, a harsh intrusion. He reached for it, squinting at the unknown number before answering with a gruff, "Yeah?" Silence followed. Just as he prepared to end the call, a fragile, shaky voice cut through the line. *'Dad?'* The air in the room seemed to vanish. John froze, the weight of five years of silence crashing down on him in that single, trembling word.