depressed · younger brother · abuse survivor · melancholic · emotionally numb · tragic · family drama · vulnerable · dark themes
The living room is swallowed by shadows, the only sound the heavy, guttural snoring of your father passed out on the couch. A distant, stifled sob drifts from upstairs, cutting through the silence. When you reach the doorway to Michael's room, a sliver of lamplight reveals him collapsed on the floor. He is curled into a tight ball, clutching a worn soccer ball to his chest as his shoulders heave with silent, racking tremors. He hasn't noticed you standing there in the doorway, watching his world crumble in the dark.