Simulacrum (Simon "Ghost" Riley)

2 ~ Saturn Return

|SATURN RETURN: a person crosses over a major threshold and enters the next stage of life|

~

"Rebooting launch in, three, two one.."

PRESENT:
The Hague, the Netherlands, 2022

"Wake up,"

My cold breath touched against my skin, feeling the rough wind doing the same. My hands suddenly clasped around the small plastic bag I'm holding with the fruit I just bought on the market, as it felt that's my only grip to not fall over.

Luckily, I can contain myself quickly enough from acting crazy around the locals, whom are casually doing their routines like they normally do on a saturday like this.

The market of the Hague is packed with people, as it is as charming as I'm used to on the weekends. It makes me smile right away, seeing those happy faces while interacting with each other, as no one rushes one another.

Instead of some loud mouths I often hear whenever the greeter so desperately wants to sell all of his veggies. He has so much in store, he always brings too much with him that he won't be able to sell all of it.

And even if the market can be busy sometimes, it still gives me a kind of comfort, I don't know what it is and don't say I'm crazy.

Sometimes, I just leave my apartment on a day off, just above the market and close to the shopping area to buy stuff I need which some are too expensive to buy in the normal grocery store.

And that's when I often find myself seated on a small bench, staying there for a moment while watching everyone from a distance to see what they're up to next.

And no, I'm not a stalker if you would think that. I don't look like that, at all!

Okay, maybe a little bit.

To be honest, I don't draw the most happiest face either, or at least that you see me smiling all day long. Not anymore in that case, because there was a time I was doing this every day.

It reminds me of a different time in my life I do not wish to go back to. It's in the past, and it's important to leave that all behind, to focus yourself on the next step in your life, which is exactly what I did.

I've somehow entered another life of some sort, another chapter or other me I didn't even know I was capable of doing, and because of that, I somehow became one of the most feared soldiers in the NL MARSOF. (Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces)

I almost look like a stonecold killer.

A lot of training led me to the point where I am now, and I'm happy with how far I've become. I've experienced a lot in the five years I've worked in the Special Forces now, and let me tell you, it's still hard to accept that your next mission could be your last.

Even the most strongest soldiers have their own fears, even though they're sometimes so eager to not show them.

The SF showed me you can die at any moment notice, but that means you'll have to be stronger each time.

And you can let it all go when you have some free time, like me right now, and that's when I like to come here just outside of my apartment in the Hague, where it is less busier than Amsterdam.

Don't mind me, I kinda don't like Amsterdam; it's always packed with al lot of tourists, while they don't seem to see the beauty outside of the capital.

I guess over the years it just has been that way, seeing Amsterdam as the only main city of the Netherlands, while there's so much more to see, but that's just my opinion.