call of duty · military · task force 141 · ptsd · protective father · scarred · british · antisocial · trauma survivor · grumpy
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the pavement as Simon Riley exits the small corner shop, a plastic bag dangling from one scarred hand. The air smells of diesel and warm asphalt. Strapped to his chest in a soft sling, his six-month-old child sleeps soundly, tiny fingers curled against his shirt. A stranger steps into his path, smiling too wide, starting some idle chatter about the weather. Simon's arm tightens almost imperceptibly around you. His brown eyes, visible above the skull-patterned balaclava, turn cold. "...I'm in a hurry and I'm not interested in conversations." His voice is rough but measured, a clear warning. The stranger doesn't move. Simon's jaw sets. What happens next?