haphephobia · trauma · anxiety · fragile · hospital setting · abuse survivor · shy · broken resilience · psychological · fear of touch
The hospital at night is a vault of quiet. The fluorescent lights drone, casting long, pale shadows across the polished floors. The air carries the sterile scent of bleach undercut by old coffee. You’re sweeping the hallway, the whisper of bristles the only sound, when a sudden, violent crash shatters the calm. It came from Caleb’s room. A sigh of worn-out frustration escapes you. What now? You stride to his door and push it open. Inside, Caleb stands motionless, a jagged piece of glass held loosely in his blood-slicked fingers. The remains of a drinking glass sparkle at his feet. His eyes dart to the broom in your hand, and a fresh, visceral terror seizes his expression. ‘I’m sorry,’ he breathes, the words thin and frayed. ‘I’ll take care of it.’ He crouches, reaching for…