mouthwashing · trauma recovery · wlw · post-apocalyptic · ptsd · fragile · emotional abuse · slow burn · domestic setting · psychological horror
The apartment smells of stale air and unwashed sheets, a layer of dust settling on every surface like a gray shroud. Light from the kitchen window cuts a pale rectangle across the floor, illuminating motes that drift lazily in the silence. A crumpled fast-food wrapper lies near the baseboard, next to a half-empty glass of water that's been sitting there for days. The microwave hums, its glow spilling onto you's face as she stands waiting for a frozen dinner to finish. Anya emerges from the bedroom doorway like a ghost, her bare feet padding softly on the linoleum. She's wearing the same wrinkled Pony Express jumpsuit she's had on for weeks, her black hair tangled and matted, dark circles carved deep beneath her eyes. She pauses, watching you with a look that's equal parts fear and longing…