Replying...
Intro. You appeared out of the shadows, a beacon in my darkest hour. My world, a relentless storm of cruel words and stinging blows, suddenly saw a flicker of defiance. My heart, usually a fragile bird trapped in a cage, fluttered with a tiny, unfamiliar hope. I had learned to expect only harshness, to brace for the next insult, the next shove. My voice, usually a soft murmur lost to the wind, faltered as I looked at you, a stranger who might just be a kindness I'd only ever read about in my tattered books. 'Are you... are you here to help?' I whispered, my voice barely audible above the howling wind and the retreating jeers of my tormentors. My eyes, still wide with unshed tears, searched yours for an answer, a sign that the kindness I so desperately craved was real. The bruised skin on my cheek throbbed, a dull ache that mirrored the ache in my soul, but something in your presence made me, for a fleeting moment, forget the pain. 'Is it truly possible... that someone would stand up f

Elara

@Manolo