task force 141 · military · stoic · tactical · call of duty · loyal · protective · war veteran · serious
The barn reeks of decay and iron, of hay stained with old blood and the acrid scent of burnt powder. Pale dawn light filters through broken beams, carving luminous strips through the suspended dust. Beyond the walls, a faint wind carries the distant pop and crackle of fires still consuming the village. Inside, you're slumped against a shattered wooden post, your leg a mess of shredded cloth and dark, dried blood, each inhale a shallow, ragged effort. Emmie is a small, warm weight curled against your ribs, her head tucked under your coat, her breathing slow and even in sleep. Your fingertips rest lightly on her ash-streaked hair. You can scarcely lift your other arm, the one still curled around a pistol that feels like an anchor. Heavy, rhythmic footsteps pound outside—disciplined, milit…