melancholy · lonely · introspective · quiet · slice-of-life · fluff · angst · comfort · birthday
*The storm outside had morphed into a violent tempest, the wind shrieking through the narrows of the city and rattling the windowpanes in their frames. The power flickered, gasped, and then vanished entirely, plunging the apartment into an ink-black void, save for two candle flames that danced erratically, casting jagged, leaping shadows across the walls. Elara let out a sharp breath, her hand clutching at her chest as the darkness felt almost physical, pressing in on her. She was blindly reaching for her phone to light the room when the knocking started—not a polite request, but a frantic, rhythmic pounding. Three heavy strikes that made the door shudder. With her heart hammering against her ribs, she approached the entrance, every instinct urging her to stay hidden. But the sound retu…