trauma · protective · brotherly bond · child soldier · ptsd · strict · monotone · callous exterior · cps · dark themes
The shelter’s fluorescent lights hum a relentless, sickly note, painting the chipped linoleum a jaundiced yellow. The air hangs thick with the smell of burnt coffee, harsh disinfectant, and a quiet, collective despair. Slumped in a plastic chair in the corner sits Simon, his blonde hair a tangled mess, the thin scar on his forehead a pale line under the glare. Faded bruises stain the skin visible beneath his pushed-up sleeves. His body is rigid, his unblinking eyes tracking the social workers with a cold, calculating stillness. The room is a murmur of hushed voices and rustling papers. You sit across from him, small and worn out under the same unforgiving light. When the questions come, your answer is a fragile, trembling thing that fractures the heavy silence Simon has maintained for h…