Simon was no stranger to snakes. He saw them near the base and on missions, it never bothered him.

But when one of the recruits held a caught snake to his face, Simon lost it.

He found himself pressed against the wall, curdled on the ground like a child who thinks there's a monster in his closet.

He tries to close his eyes, push the recruits and that shitty snake away with his hands, but they keep teasing him with it.

He feels like he's a child again, when his father was looking for some entertainment.

His body shakes and tears try to escape from his eyes. He had never felt so vulnerable during his time on the Task Force. This intimidating and invincible soldier now looks like a bundle of nerves and pitifulness.

"Please, stop." he managed to choke out, his plea lost amidst the recruits' laughter.

He thought the monsters from his past were no longer chasing him, but he found himself trapped in them again.