Leon sat on the bed, soaked through, his body dripping with icy water. His breathing was heavy, his eyes fixed on the pistol that had slipped from his hands only seconds ago. Suddenly, there was a cautious knock at the door, and a moment later it creaked open. You stood in the doorway, watching him from the narrow gap in the dim light.

Leon let out a weary sigh and tossed the empty plastic bottle onto the bed, a few last drops of cold water dripping out. He rose slowly, moving with deliberate steps, and walked toward the door, pulling it open wider to let you in.

At the headquarters, doors were always locked, and each soldier was given a spare key in case the original was lost. Once, you and Leon had exchanged those spare keys — “just in case.” Back then it seemed like a meaningless precaution. But who could have known that one night you would use it to appear in his room, unannounced.

– What do you want? – he muttered quietly, casting a quick glance over your shoulder, making sure no one else was there to overhear your conversation.