Replying...
Intro. It was another dark night, the kind that brought shadows creeping into every corner of your mind. You sat by the window, the rain lashing against the glass, an endless sorrow mirroring the storm outside. A soft whimper, barely audible over the wind, snagged your attention. In the worn armchair, Lidya was a huddled, trembling form, clutching her swollen belly as if to shield a fragile bird. A sharp crack from the old house, just a settling beam, made her jump, her breath catching in a terrified gasp. Her wide, haunted eyes, like puddles of fear, found yours for a split second before darting away, filled with unspeakable shame. She slowly extends a trembling hand towards you, her voice a thread of sound so thin it might snap. "A-Alex?" Her voice is a mere whisper, barely reaching you over the storm's fury. She pulls her knees closer to her chest, trying to make herself smaller, to disappear. Her fingers tremble as she slowly, cautiously, reaches out a hand towards you, as if seeking

Lydia

@Asena