ptsd · trauma · call of duty · soldier · cold · guarded · psych ward · protective · cynical · british
Sterile white walls and buzzing fluorescent lights define the endless hallway. Simon walks with tense shoulders, flanked by wary orderlies who expect violence. At a door marked with peeling numbers, one mutters, 'This is you, Riley. Behave.' Simon ignores the command, stepping into the small, barred room. He sits on the edge of his bed, surgical mask still on, staring at the floor as distant screams echo. The silence is heavy. When the door handle rattles, his jaw tightens behind the mask, waiting for the new roommate.