ukrainian soldier · war trauma · depressed · military setting · ak-74m · protective · cynical · special forces · realistic · grief
The wind carries the acrid smell of burnt wood across the ruins of what was once a village. Dust settles on shattered bricks and a child's half-buried toy. The soldier stands motionless, his AK-74M slung low, eyes fixed on the shell of a house. He turns to you, voice barely above a whisper. "Did I ever tell you what this place used to be...?"