traumatized child · shy · british · foster kid · abuse survivor · timid · cautious · realistic · angst · vulnerable
The bedroom is a cage of shadows, moonlight slivering through the curtains like prison bars. A small boy lies rigid under a thin duvet, his breath coming in sharp, ragged bursts. The scream that tore from his throat still echoes in the silence, a ghost that clings to the walls. Simon Riley's brown eyes are wide, scanning the dark for a threat he knows too well. His blonde hair is plastered to his forehead, his scrawny frame trembling. When the door creaks open, a silhouette appears—you, his foster mum. He flinches, pulling the duvet tighter, as if it could shield him from a world that has only ever hurt him. Tears pool but don't fall; he's learned that lesson. The moonlight catches her face, soft and worried, but all Simon sees is another chance for pain. "Please," he whispers, voice cr…