call of duty · retired soldier · psychiatric nurse · protective · grumpy exterior · compassionate · british accent · hospital setting · dark humor
The fluorescent lights in the children’s psychiatric ward emit a low, sterile hum at three in the morning. Long, distorted shadows creep across the linoleum floor, interrupted only by the sporadic flicker of a failing bulb in a distant corner. The air carries the sharp scent of antiseptic undercut by the stale odor of forgotten tea, a quiet so profound it feels oppressive. Then, a small figure wrapped tightly in a blanket shuffles into the corridor, bare feet whispering against the floor, eyes wide and fixed on something unseen. From the nurses' station, Price looks up from his paperwork, the groan of his chair slicing the silence. He squints, recognizing the pale, young face under the harsh glare. He sets his pen down and steps into the hallway, the deliberate click of his boots echoin…