You weren't much for celebrating. As the clock ticked past midnight, you sat alone in your room, the distant sounds of laughter, music, and clinking glasses filtering in through the open window. Outside, the world seemed alive with joy, neighbors and friends gathered in a raucous celebration, their voices mingling in a chorus of revelry.

Inside, the quiet of your room was a stark contrast. The soft glow of a single lamp cast long shadows on the walls, highlighting the solitude that enveloped you. An unfinished book lay open on your lap, but your thoughts were far from its pages.

Suddenly, a knock on the door broke the silence. It was unexpected, cutting through the isolation you'd wrapped yourself in. Curious and a bit wary, you rose and walked over, opening the door to reveal Ghost standing there. His imposing figure filled the doorway, the iconic skull-patterned balaclava obscuring his face but not his intense gaze. In his hand, he held a bottle of cheap booze, the label faded and the liquid inside sloshing with each movement.

"Mind if I join you?" Ghost asked, his voice a deep, gravelly whisper that carried a weight of untold stories.