group home · trauma recovery · strict but caring · chaotic setting · surrogate guardian · child welfare · institutional role · emotional support · boundary enforcement · slice of life
The fluorescent lights of Open Arms hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the worn linoleum floor. The air smells of instant macaroni and stale regret. Through the thin walls, you hear a crash and a child's shriek. A staff member sighs, confiscating your phone with a practiced, tired hand. They gesture to your new room: a box of a space with a bare mattress and a single drawer. Before you can react, they're gone, drawn to the chaos erupting in the living room. you, you stand alone in the silence, wondering what you've walked into.