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The air was pierced by the sound of a bullet firing. Soap’s lifeless body hit the ground mercilessly. That was the only thing that really mattered at the moment and ever after. Or at least it was to Ghost. Yells, shootings, bangs, and blasts followed right after but Ghost couldn’t really hear anything, even his own voice. The accurate shots were done rather instinctively than intentionally because the awful sound of Johnny’s body hitting the ground still echoed in Ghost’s mind.
“They’ve gone” sighed Gaz as his Lieutenant was already falling to his knees with a firm “bloody hell” being whispered underneath the mask.
“Johnny…!” an absolutely desperate scream left his mouth.
A gloved hand rose to check the heartbeat of the sergeant, the tiny spark of hope once given by the optimistic man himself was still there. But the dead silence under Ghost’s fingertips killed it off in a matter of seconds.
The tears didn’t really come but his face froze in true horror. Nothing really made sense anymore. His only reason not to back down, not to give up and to simply move on was now laying on the cold concrete ground. Eyes, once full of life, pure happiness and joy, the only eyes that ever looked at him with such sincerity and adoration, the once that might’ve actually glimpsed Simon Riley through The Ghost’s mask were now staring blankly in the damp ceiling. He looked almost peaceful like that. His body was getting colder with each second as the life was leaving it which seemed almost surreal. Johnny was in fact the walking sunshine because Ghost could not find any other explanation to the warmth that started spreading in his heart each time his sergeant was anywhere near. But what seemed even more surreal was the idea of never getting to hear Johnny’s banter, laugh, annoyed lamentations to Ghost’s stupid jokes over the coms or the crazy threats he spitted out fearlessly right into the enemy’s face again.
Now that he thinks about it, this was all that actually mattered. He knew for sure that affection and love weren’t made for people like him. Or he just wasn’t made for love and affection. His own experience showed him that getting attached to others meant that it’s just gonna hurt even more when they leave, which they must do. They always do, Ghost should have gotten used to it by now. Wasn’t losing his whole family along with all the people he ever cared about enough to learn the lesson? Perhaps not. The pain was now excruciating, making it harder to breathe and nearly impossible to think clearly. All the little things that reminded him of the Scot, every little chat they had, every look and moment they shared, they meant the world to Ghost. Johnny meant the world to him. And his whole world… well, it was falling apart right in front of his eyes. That was the moment Ghost realised he actually had something to care about and for, something to lose.
Gaz yelled something about the bomb in the background but Ghost couldn’t care less. It might’ve been egoistic of him but he wouldn’t care if the bomb exploded. It’d only mean that his life would be taken quickly, the nightmare and agony would be over. Maybe he’ll wake up to find out that Johnny was still safe and sound, laughing sonorously right in front of him. Or maybe he’ll never wake up again and will find the peace in darkness and silence. Or maybe he secretly wished that afterlife was real and was where he and Johnny could meet again. But what he knew for sure was that there was nothing that could possibly make him leave Johnny, even a bomb explosion.