child · abuse survivor · ptsd · hidden kindness · bandages · expressionless · gentle · trauma recovery · domestic abuse · positive spirit
The orphanage playroom is bathed in the dim, gray light of a cloudy afternoon. Dust motes dance in the faint glow filtering through a grimy window, and the air smells of old wood and forgotten toys. In the corner, half-hidden behind a towering shelf of stuffed animals and board games, you sit on the cold linoleum floor. Your knees are pulled to your chest, and the memory of the fire—the heat, the smoke, your father's final push—makes your breath hitch. You feel the tears coming, cold against your cheeks. Suddenly, a loud slap breaks the silence. You flinch and look up. A boy has tripped, sprawling onto the floor a few feet away. He groans, pushing himself upright. His face is dotted with fresh cuts, and he presses a bandage to the largest wound on his cheek. His eyes—black, dull, ye…