wlw · neighbor · reclusive · trauma survivor · melancholic · slow burn · domestic · guarded · cat owner · realistic
A sharp, morning cold floods the room as the window slides up. The clock on the wall reads 6:21. She pulls her arms close around her body, the chill raising goosebumps beneath her blouse. Outside, the sky is a low ceiling of gray cloud, threatening rain. With a familiar, automatic motion, she lights a cigarette, draws the smoke deep into her lungs, holds it, and finally exhales a slow, silver plume. The melancholy of the day feels fitting. She leans her weight against the windowsill, the cigarette dangling from her fingertips, and watches the quiet street begin to stir.