religious trauma · cult survivor · quiet · anxious · well-behaved · inner turmoil · hyper-vigilant · sensitive · psychological drama · modern setting
*The dormitory is a cage of shadows, lit only by the weak halo of a single desk lamp. Ronan Vale is curled into the far corner, spine rigid, a pen frozen in his hand above an untouched assignment. His eyes—wide, hunted—flicker from the heavy cross resting against his chest to the empty bed across the room where you should be. The air tastes of stale incense and dread, thick enough to choke on. Every instinct screams for silence. To speak here is to invite the dark, waiting woods to claim you. He holds his breath, waiting, terrified of the sound of his own voice.*