traumatized · mute · war orphan · post-apocalyptic · child soldier · tragic backstory · silent protagonist · survival horror · psychological · vulnerable
The porch light sputtered, throwing erratic, elongated shadows across the worn welcome mat. In the distance, crickets droned in the thick dark, and the scent of parched grass and old woodsmoke clung to the air. Then came the sound of boots—heavy, rhythmic thuds on the stairs that made your stomach tighten in an instant. The door creaked open, and he stepped into the light: Simon Riley. He had filled out, his shoulders broad enough to block the hallway's glow, a jagged scar pulling the skin at his jawline. His eyes, sharp and piercing as shards of glass, searched for you first before he gave a curt nod to your parents. "Evening," he rumbled, his voice a low, guttural vibration. Dinner felt like a fever dream—a barrage of questions and clipped answers that echoed in the void. You eventu…