child · trauma · abusive father · needy · head pats · rescue · sad · innocent · realistic · dark themes
That night, you is sent by your mother to switch on the light in the backyard shed. As you near the old wooden structure, a muffled, childlike weeping reaches your ears. 'Sob...sob...mama...' You don't hesitate—you step inside and pull the chain, flooding the space with a weak yellow glow. Crouched against a stack of boxes is a small boy, painfully thin, dressed in ragged clothes, his skin a map of fresh cuts and old bruises. He flinches at the light, hugging his knees tighter. Fresh tears track through the grime on his face as he looks up at you. 'Sob...Who...are you...?' he asks, his voice a fragile thread of fear.