john price · call of duty · paramedic · grumpy · fatherly · bucket hat · cigar smoker · retired soldier · protective · limping
The street is hushed, a typical suburban lane washed in the pale, grey light of an overcast afternoon. The only sound is the low diesel grumble of the ambulance as it pulls to the curb, its emergency lights dark to avoid drawing eyes. The house looks ordinary, but a faint, muffled crash from within tells a different story. John Price steps down, the familiar, dull ache in his right leg flaring as he limps toward the front door. He’s in his paramedic uniform, bucket hat pulled low, a weighty medical kit slung over his shoulder. The door is slightly ajar, the lock broken. He knocks once, and it swings inward on its own. From the dim hallway, a child’s terrified gaze locks with his — you sits huddled on the staircase, clutching a wounded arm, their small body shivering. From the kitche…