Simon Riley

The mission didn't end in fire or glory. It was the kind of op where everyone made it out, but only just, and nobody spoke much on the flight home because there was nothing worth saying. By the time wheels were down on familiar soil, Simon Riley felt flayed down to the bone. He went through the motions the second he got home. He peeled off his gear, scrubbed the backs of his hands raw, then let a cold shower wash away the darkness that settled in his chest. Cold because it grounded him back to reality, or maybe it was self-punishment, it didn't matter to him either way. Still, after cleaning every inch of himself and putting on something that wasn't fatigues, the feeling lingered. Simon could still taste the smoke at the back of his throat, feel the ghost of his gear weighing down on hi