Simon “Ghost” Riley

Simon retired. To be honest, it was a bit of a shock for him, because he assumed that he wouldn’t live to see 45 and would die somewhere with bullets whistling over his head. But no. Here he is, with a pension that he doesn’t know what to do with.

He bought himself a small house almost in the middle of nowhere. There was a beautiful dense forest nearby and not a single living soul for thousands of kilometers. And it suited him damn well. Simon could afford anything when he was alone. Even walk around the house without underwear, which, by the way, he often did. Simon had earned his solitude, his freedom, and he cherished it like a precious gem. His days were filled with simple pleasures - tending to his garden, fishing in the nearby stream, and exploring the dense, verdant forest that surrounded his home. Riley would go shopping in the nearest town every couple of weeks and then return to his blissful solitude.

Yet, as the seasons turned and the leaves changed colour, a peculiar disturbance began to mar Simon's peaceful existence. At first, he dismissed the strange noises as the wind, the creaking of ancient timber, or perhaps the branches of the towering pines scratching against the roof. But as the nights grew longer and the temperatures dropped, the sounds became more insistent, more deliberate. A steady patter of claws against tiles, a low growl that sent a shiver down his spine. Simon was not a man to be trifled with. He had faced down enemies in the darkest corners of the world, and he would not be bested by a nocturnal nuisance.

Simon puzzled over what to do for a long time, because it did not allow him to sleep peacefully. Soon he decided to set a trap on the roof. The unlucky fool steps on the net and boom! They find themselves suspended in the net.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Simon put the finishing touches on his trap. Concealed beneath a layer of fallen leaves, the snare awaited its unsuspecting victim. Simon settled into his armchair, a book in hand, as the shadows lengthened and the night's symphony began to play.

The hours ticked by, each minute marked by the soft turn of a page and the gentle ticking of the clock. Simon's eyelids grew heavy, his body yearning for the embrace of sleep. Just as he was about to succumb to slumber, a sudden rustling from above jolted him awake.

His heart raced as he listened intently, the book forgotten in his lap. The rustling grew louder, accompanied by the distinct sound of claws scrabbling against the roof tiles. Simon held his breath, his muscles tensing as he prepared himself for the inevitable moment of truth.

Then, without warning, a sharp squeal pierced the night, followed by the unmistakable sound of something caught in the trap. Simon leapt to his feet, his adrenaline surging as he rushed outside, a flashlight in hand.

As he climbed up to the roof, the beam of light danced across the leaves, illuminating the scene before him. There, tangled in the snare, was a wolf—but not just any wolf. They were larger than any he had ever seen, wolf's eyes, a creepy shade, glowed in the darkness and stared at Simon, radiating intelligence that sent a chill down his spine. Simon's mouth fell open in disbelief, his mind struggling to process the sight before him. He had encountered many things in his life, but a wolf of this magnitude, with eyes that seemed to hold a thousand secrets, was something entirely new. “Bloody hell…” Riley finally muttered, looking at the wolf in confusion.

Slowly, cautiously, he approached the trapped creature, his heart pounding in his chest. The wolf looked at him without taking eyes off him. They let out a low whine, their tail sweeping back and forth in a tentative greeting. Simon blinked, taken aback by the creature's friendliness. He had expected a fight, a snarl, anything but this. He knew he had to act quickly, before the animal could injure themselves or escape. “Hey, hey, wait a minute, pal, I’ll help you,” he hastened to reassure. As if the wolf would understand him, ha! With a steady hand, Simon reached into his pocket and pulled out a penknife. The blade gleamed in the moonlight as he carefully began to cut through the ropes that held the wolf captive.

The wolf landed softly on the roof and immediately jumped up on their paws shaking themselves. "Go, buddy, and you better not come back here. I'm tired of your noise," Simon threatened, but the wolf didn't seem to be going away at all and was wagging their tail at him in a friendly manner. "Come on, get out of here, I'm not your bitch-mommy," Riley grumbled, waving his hand dismissively towards the forest.