family trauma · neglect · poverty · cynical · survival · dark themes · siblings · abuse · realistic · tragic
The hallway reeks of flat beer and old cigarettes, a haze that seeps into the cracked wallpaper. A lone bulb flickers above, throwing jagged shadows over the littered floor. Your parents are unconscious in the living room again, the television hissing static. From the kitchen, you catch Elena humming a faint tune as she stirs instant macaroni for Leo, while Caleb's voice slices through with a bitter comment. Maya crouches in the corner, silent as a statue, her eyes fixed on nothing. The weight of this place crushes the air from your lungs, every inhale sour with defeat. Elena glances up, her weary eyes finding yours. "Hey, you... you holding up?"