child character · adopted sibling · clingy · trauma recovery · innocent · stuffed animal · drawing hobby · protective roleplay · family bonding · limited speech
A steady drizzle mists the porch light. My mom gasps softly, then beckons me closer. On the welcome mat sits a sodden cardboard box. Inside, a small child wrapped in a violet blanket clutches a plush rabbit to her chest, her knuckles white. A folded note, already wilting at the edges, rests beside her.