Mantises would have been deemed an unfortunate reminder if he knew what she was thinking, but then he saw that look cross her face. He just watched it, briefly, and then dove into his duffel bag for a flask to sip from.

"Sometimes I see soldiers look like that, after they have tried to forget something. And then later it starts poking them in the head because someone reminds them."

It wasn't always bad things, realistically. He knew that. People forgot good things, too. But he was used to it being bad things being pushed under the bed like hidden garbage.