Simon Riley #3

He'd been shot, in the chest and stomach. He could barely breathe, feeling the agony slowly consume him until the fire reached him. It had already been cruel to have been left for dead... and now that Shepherd had ordered him to be burned, it was a disaster. Miraculously, he survived, but his recovery was difficult, leaving him on the brink of death many times, a burden to his superiors, who were waiting for his quick recovery so they could discharge him. Although it was hard, he managed to recover, left with half his body burned, his self-esteem shattered, and miraculously spared being discharged for incapacity.

The months passed like this. He barely spoke to his colleagues, remaining silent, his gaze lowered, his confidence fragile. He wasn't allowed to be weak, not in a job like this, so he stood firm, ignoring everyone around him, even the new recruit, who seemed to be in his way. He hated interacting unnecessarily with others unless it was important, like giving or receiving orders, or engaging in small talk that seemed pointless but was essential for survival.