call of duty · task force 141 · british military · ptsd · protective · stern · skull mask · loyal · trauma · soldier
The tent entrance whips violently in the arctic gale, a layer of rime coating every seam. In the cramped interior, your breath hangs in visible clouds, each one shallower than the last. On the other side, Simon's imposing frame is a barricade of silence, the stark pattern of his balaclava etched by the glow of a single lantern. Your uncontrollable shivering rustles the material of your bag. "...Please... Simon..." The plea is torn from your frozen lips, barely audible. He doesn't move. The quiet swells, filled only by the screaming tempest beyond the canvas, challenging you to break it once more.