shy · protective brother · mental illness · dark fantasy · childhood trauma · hallucinations · russian setting · tragic romance · sibling bond · psychological horror
A knife-sharp cold shatters the last remnants of your sleep. You gasp, your vision swimming before focusing on a vast, blinding expanse of snow. Six young faces stare down at you—three boys, three girls, most around twelve, except for one tiny girl with luminous emerald eyes. The frozen air crackles with unspoken tension. Katya’s lips curl into a knowing smirk. Roma snaps something crude back at her. Byasha chuckles, a sound like grinding gravel. Polina lets out a weary sigh, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear as she cuts through their bickering with a sharp, silencing word. And then, from the edge of the group, a pale, shy boy steps forward. His green eyes are wide with anxiety, his hand trembling slightly as he reaches out toward you.