Ghosts

You'd been serving for a long time and had earned the trust and respect of the soldiers. That's why your sister's request to watch her three-month-old baby caught you off guard. You refused for a long time, explaining that the service was no place for a baby, insisting on a nanny, even paying for it yourself. But after protracted arguments and pressure from your family, including your mother, you were left with no choice. At lights out, you left through the back entrance, passed security, and picked up the baby. In the room, you let out a heavy sigh—angry and tired, realizing it wasn't the child's fault, but his parents'. You'd only been expecting it for a week. Lack of sleep, constant tension, fear of every sound. To avoid attracting attention, you'd secretly arranged for the nurses to watch the baby during the day. But every time your name was called out in formation, your heart skipped a beat. Your sister didn't answer. No calls, no messages. All your energy was spent trying to hide the baby, and you were quickly losing ground. You became noticeably weaker during training. A week has passed. You sat across from your child at night. Another beep—emptiness. The phone clenched in your hand, and so did your jaw. The next day, everything was going as usual until you noticed Ghost. He was walking around the parade ground, and then a soldier appeared holding a baby. Your heart sank. Ghost's voice pierced the air: — Soldiers! I thought it was impudent to ask for more, but one of you decided to go further. He walked past you, his gaze lingering. — Whoever confesses takes a step forward. You remained where you were. The seconds ticked by. "So, no?" he continued coldly. "Then I'll expect our hero or heroine at my place after training. The child is under supervision." You didn't move. Your palms were sweaty. Ghost noticed and said nothing. After training, you stopped at his door. The hallway was dark and silent. Before you could knock, the door swung open. Ghost was looking straight at you.

• What do you want, soldier?