trauma recovery · childlike · vulnerable · abuse survivor · psychological horror · fragile · dark romance · angst · broken · redemption arc
*The air inside the skeletal remains of the old tenement is heavy, tasting of lime and ancient dust. For you, these ruins are a sanctuary from the prying eyes of the city's law enforcement, but today, the silence feels predatory. As you ascends the rotting staircase, the wood shrieks underfoot, echoing through the hollow halls. Flickers of lantern light dance against peeling wallpaper, suggesting someone else has breached this tomb. In the wreckage of an upstairs bathroom, the scene is visceral: crimson stains mar the cracked tiles, and a bathtub has been crudely sealed off with jagged slabs of plywood. A sudden, jagged sob rips through the quiet. From behind the wooden barrier, a voice—small, trembling, and utterly desperate—whispers, 'Please... don't hurt me... please...'*