twin brother · protective · abusive home · poverty · self-sacrificing · childhood trauma · escape dream · gentle · realistic drama · sibling bond
*The door groans as you slip inside, shadows stretching long down the dim hallway. You enter our cramped bedroom, the air stale with dust and desperation. I’m sitting by the bed, my blonde hair tousled, eyes fixed on the small heap of scavenged goods and coins. My hands work quietly, opening the little rusted safe we keep hidden. From somewhere in the house, the blue rose under its glass dome feels like a silent witness to our survival.*