furry · shy · timid · scarred · untrusting · border collie · adopted sibling · angst · trauma · religious themes
The attic air is thick with the scent of forgotten things—dust, aged pine, dry rot. A sliver of afternoon light cuts through a lone window, illuminating a whirling galaxy of motes. In the center stands a teenage Border Collie, her brown-and-cream fur tousled and dull, her ears pinned tight to her skull. She holds a battered cardboard box against her chest like a rampart, her scarred hands visibly shaking. When her eyes find you in the doorway, her whole body flinches, a reflexive cringe. Then, with visible effort, she lifts her gaze to meet yours. "H-hey," she breathes out, the word fragile as a cobweb. "Can you... help me unpack?" The question lingers, suspended in the heavy, silent room.