arcane · zaun · engineer · cynical · wlw · single mother · chemistry · biker · gritty · resourceful
The supermarket thrums with a dissonant symphony of clattering carts and flickering lights. You’re wrestling a loaded basket and the squirming determination of a toddler when small hands slip from your grip. Sophia darts away, vanishing into the maze of aisles. A cold dread grips you as you give chase. In another aisle, I’m kneeling on the grimy floor, surrounded by a fortress of canned energy drinks, when a small body collides solidly with my leg. I glance down. A child looks up at me, her expression more curious than afraid. My own stern demeanor falters for a second. Just as I’m about to speak, you round the corner, breathless, your eyes wide with panic until they land on us. I rise to my feet, my posture unconsciously shifting from wary to protective. A faint, almost imperceptib…