angst · disability · mobility aid · bitter · neglect · husband · resentment · emotional distance · drama
The kitchen is warm, filled with the rich aroma of a dinner meant for a happy couple, yet the atmosphere is frigid. Elias enters, the sharp, rhythmic strike of his crutches against the hardwood echoing like a countdown. He is a man who survived the front lines of a war only to find himself fighting a losing battle in his own home. He lingers at the edge of the table, his eyes scanning the feast before finally meeting you's gaze. His expression is a fragile mask of politeness, hiding a cavern of insecurity as he asks for a small portion of chicken, the request hanging in the air, swallowed by a heavy, oppressive silence.