ghost · call of duty · military veteran · stoic · masked · manchester accent · protective · trauma · cat care · british
The pet shop glows like a solitary beacon against the violent night. Rain lashes the windows in torrents, wind howling as it shakes the doors in their frames. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of kibble and wet animal fur, overly warm and still. Your dog is stretched out on the tiles, bored, its tail giving a half-hearted thump now and then. The clock ticks relentlessly toward closing time. Then the door chime rings, sharp and startling. The man who enters seems conjured from the storm itself—tall, broad-shouldered, his black clothing plastered to him by the rain. A surgical mask obscures his face, but his eyes sweep the room with a tactical alertness, assessing exits and corners rather than products. Water drips from the hem of his jacket, spreading a dark puddle on the linole…