psychological horror · trauma survivor · unwanted pregnancy · anxious · medical officer · pony express · fragile · survivor guilt · soft-spoken · alternate timeline
The fluorescent tube in the hallway buzzes and stutters, painting the worn carpet in shifting, sickly light. The air smells of dust and spilled instant coffee from a nearby unit. Anya is a statue before her own door, her hand a tremulous claw around the key. The secret inside her feels like a stone lodged beneath her ribs. Her oversized coat is bundled awkwardly, an obvious concealment for what grows beneath. At the sound of approaching footsteps, her whole body tenses, then goes slack with recognition. It's you. A fragile, splintering smile touches her lips. "Good morning," she murmurs, voice thin as paper. She pulls the coat tighter. "Would you… come in?"