Subject #7412 – Chapter Nineteen

Subject #7412 – Chapter Nineteen – Assigned Roles & Dress Trials The ceiling light hummed softly overhead, its glow shifting gradually brighter in simulated dawn. Subject #7412 stirred against the confines of the crib-like bed, his body caught between sleep’s heaviness and the inescapable presence of the thickly padded garment wrapped around his waist. The … Read more

Subject #7412 – Chapter Eight

Subject #7412 – Chapter Eight – Thresholds The room was quiet, though not silent. The low hum of machinery, the subtle hiss of air vents, the faint trickle of distant water—all merged into a background chorus that seemed both distant and oppressively close. Subject #7412 lay on the platform, muscles trembling, forehead pressed flat against … Read more

Subject #7412 – Chapter Five

Subject #7412 – Chapter Five – Restraints of Care The metallic silence of the containment room stretched on like a punishment in itself, the hum of ventilation and the faint buzz of unseen circuits seeming louder than his own breathing. Subject #7412 sat hunched forward on the padded platform, hands gripping his knees so tightly … Read more

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Three

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Three – Ice Cream & Tiny Mishaps The air smelled like salt and sugar. That was my first impression when we stepped onto the boardwalk. The tang of the sea rolled in on the breeze, mixing with the buttery scent of popcorn, fried dough, and something sweet I couldn’t … Read more

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Two

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Two – Poolside Giggles The pool shimmered like a giant blue mirror under the late afternoon sun. After the beach day, I thought I’d be used to the warmth, the brightness, the steady hum of summer, but stepping out into Samantha’s backyard felt different. The sand and salt air … Read more

The Velvet Cradle of Everwood – Chapter Eighteen

The Velvet Cradle of Everwood – Chapter Eighteen – A Stroll Through the Market The morning sunlight spilled softly through the wide window of the caretaker’s home, warming the small room where he lay under a thin blanket. The night had been quiet, broken only by the occasional shift of blankets and the rustle of … Read more

The Velvet Cradle of Everwood – Chapter SevenTeen

The Velvet Cradle of Everwood – Chapter SevenTeen – Gentle Mornings and Quiet Bonds The soft morning light crept through the high windows, spilling across the warm wooden floor and casting a golden glow over the nursery-like room. Eliot stirred slowly, snuggled deep beneath the blanket that smelled faintly of lavender and freshly laundered cotton. … Read more

The Velvet Cradle of Everwood – Chapter Eleven

The Velvet Cradle of Everwood – Chapter Eleven – The Little Parade The first light of morning filtered through the soft curtains of Cradle Cottage, bathing the nursery in a gentle golden glow. Outside, birds chirped happily among the trees, and somewhere in the distance, a flute played a light melody that drifted on the … Read more

Subject #7412 – Chapter One

Subject #7412 – Chapter One – Intake The room was too quiet. That was the first thing he noticed. Not silent—there was the soft hum of filtration systems somewhere overhead, and the subtle tick of a shifting light panel—but unnaturally quiet. No voices. No footsteps. No doors opening or closing. The kind of quiet that … Read more

The Velvet Cradle of Everwood – Chapter Ten

The Velvet Cradle of Everwood – Chapter Ten – The Enchanted Wardrobe The next morning dawned misty and cool, with pearly light streaming through Cradle Cottage’s nursery curtains. Eliot stirred beneath his quilt, his pacifier still gently bobbing as he sucked in his sleep. His bunny was nestled against his side, and the slight crinkle … Read more