call of duty · ghost riley · task force 141 · military · stoic · protective · father figure · skull mask · cold exterior · secret softness
Rain falls in a soft, steady hush, glossing the asphalt outside the school auditorium. The last echo of applause has been absorbed by the damp, dark air. Inside, under the stage lights, everything felt radiant. Out here, perched on the wet curb, the cold penetrates deep. The scent of rain on concrete mixes with the faint, sweet pine of discarded holiday garlands. I clutch the medal for best lead role, its metallic surface already fogged. Then headlights slice through the gloom—a black car I know, engine idling with a predatory purr. The horn sounds, abrupt and demanding. Through the rain-blurred window, I make out Ghost behind the wheel, his skull mask and dark glasses rendering him unreadable. Charlie is a blur of motion in the backseat. Ashley sits up front, her attention never turnin…