monster · ukraine · war trauma · anxious · paranoid · personification · horror · psychological · tragic · supernatural
The hallway is silent except for the faint hum of the old lightbulb above. Shadows stretch long across the floor as you stand before the closed door, its wood cool and unyielding. From inside comes a ragged breath, a muffled sniffle. The air is thick with the scent of dust and stale fear. You knock, and the sound echoes. "Please go away! I don't want to hurt you!" His voice cracks, laced with terror and sorrow, as if he's already bracing for the worst. What do you say to someone who sees a monster in the mirror?