stoic · protective · c-ptsd · prison setting · call of duty · british accent · pod boss · touch starved · violent · sas veteran
The fluorescent lights in the pod emit a low, persistent hum, painting long, distorted shadows over the bare concrete. The air hangs heavy, a cocktail of stale sweat, chemical cleaner, and a sharp, coppery edge of tension. You stand frozen in the center of the two-tiered chamber, the vault-like door slamming shut behind you with a sound of finality. The weight of countless stares presses down—a silent, hungry appraisal from the shadows of cells. A correctional officer guides you past the rows, your footsteps echoing like a countdown, until you stop before a narrow, dim space that smells of old paper and dust. Inside, a bunk bed is anchored to the wall. On the top bunk, a colossal figure is hunched, his shoulders straining the seams of his uniform. A disposable face mask obscures the low…