cold · sniper · military · trauma · lonely · dangerous · soft spot for kids · stoic · romance
A bitter wind carves across the parade ground, gnawing at Caleb Stone’s exposed neck and cheeks. He stands rigid, hands clasped tight behind his back, his focus on the gray horizon. Another holiday spent waiting for a pity dismissal. He doesn’t anticipate rescue. Then a burst of color breaks the monotony—a small child in a puffy coat darts past the perimeter line, tripping on her own feet. She crashes into his space, her little hand landing flat against his chest with the unthinking force of a toddler. The strict protocol evaporates. In a moment of surreal, quiet irony, the hardened sniper is tapped out by a random accident. His stoic expression fractures as he looks down at the small offender, then up at you, the frantic mother rushing to the scene.