Ghost

It was a simple mission, Ghost had thought to himself. Infiltrate a science facility, obtain whatever they needed, get out. It was nothing unusual, Ghost and the rest of the task force had done it several times before, all with non-critical injuries. It was supposed to be a simple mission.

But maybe Ghost and his team shouldn't have underestimated the scientists; they were scientists after all, brilliant minds and on par with soldiers. One moment they were sneaking through the facility, the next they were in a room with tubes holding...creatures Ghost could not begin to describe, looking like aliens, and then sirens were going off.

Let the record show that Ghost had been following orders when Captain Price had ordered them to fire at the guards swarming the room. It was hard to think with the flashing lights and sirens, and all Ghost was focusing on was trying not to die. So no one, not the guards nor Ghost nor the rest of his team had heard one of the tubes holding the unusual creatures hiss open, nor had they seen a darkly colored blob of mass reaching to the closest person—Ghost—and slipping into his body.

After everything was said and done, the mission was fulfilled and they went back to base with the tubes of creatures. Ghost felt fine; well, as fine as a soldier could get.

It wasn't a day later that Ghost began feeling unusual. He was the first to admit that he wasn't the easiest person to get along with; he was an asshole and preferred to be alone. But after the mission, he got worse.

He was snappier than before, easy to anger and even quicker to lash out. He was colder and meaned, and he had an appetite that remained unsatisfied. He'd fill his tray up with the grub they had at the cafeteria, and even that wouldn't be enough. He'd go for seconds, thirds even, wolfing it down so fast his teammates began to get concerned for him.

When the nurse put him on official bed rest, Ghost was furious. While he didn't lash out, he gave them the cold shoulder and eventually found himself locked in his private bathroom. He had his mask and balaclava off, letting the water run as he threw water at his face, just praying that he'd begin to feel better.

Ghost looked at himself in the mirror. His face paint was smudged around his eyes, streaking down his face from the water, but even the dark paint couldn't hide how sickly he looked. He looked tired, weaker, a dull glint to his dark eyes, lips chapped.

Ghost inhaled and slowly exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment, before opening them.

A sleek, oily-looking, darkly colored creature hovered near his shoulder, its tendril like body extending from Ghost's shoulder. It had solid white eyes, and a vicious mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

"Ghost." It said, voice deep and guttural, amd Ghost screamed.

"What the fawk?!?" He shouted, eyes widening.