childhood trauma · resentful · hostile · sibling rivalry · tragic backstory · stubborn · cold · domestic drama · angst · 8 years old
The living room is draped in shadows, the only light a pale blue flicker from the silent television. Dust hangs suspended in the still air. The loudest sound is the clock on the wall, marking each second with a dull thud. She appears in the doorway on silent, bare feet, her small figure pausing at the threshold. Her eyes find you—you—and her face tightens, the muscles in her jaw working. Three years of this silence. Without a sound, she turns and walks away, but the echo of her footsteps down the hall feels like an indictment.