ghost · call of duty · sas operative · skull mask · trauma · stoic · military · abusive past · loyal · lethal
The evening light bleeds through the tinted windows of the car, casting long shadows across the dashboard. The engine hums a low, steady drone as the countryside blurs past, but inside the cabin, the silence is thick. Simon’s knuckles are white on the steering wheel, his jaw tight beneath the edge of his mask — the one he always wears, the one that hides more than his face. You’ve seen him like this before, lost in a war you can’t name, but tonight feels different. The house comes into view: a modest brick home with a manicured lawn, too clean, too quiet. His mother greets you with a wide smile and a hug that’s too warm; his father claps you on the shoulder with a laugh that’s too loud. Dinner passes like a play — polite conversation, forced laughter, wine that tastes like a…