Chapter 2 - The Unspoken Trauma
Bringing Ethan home was supposed to be the end of their nightmare, but as night fell over the suburban house, the reality of his trauma settled in.
Elena had spent hours preparing the sunlit bedroom upstairs, decorating it with soft blankets, plush toys, and warm lamps. But when bedtime arrived, Ethan refused to step inside. The spacious room, with its high ceilings and wide windows, terrified him. Open space meant exposure; large rooms meant nowhere to hide.
"He wants to sleep in the closet, Elena," Richard whispered late that night, standing in the doorway of the hallway.
Elena walked over, her heart aching as she looked inside the small linen closet near the stairs. Ethan had dragged his blanket into the narrow space, curling himself into a tight ball against the back wall, his eyes open and tracking every shadow.
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"Let him stay where he feels safe," Elena whispered, fighting back tears as she sat on the floor outside the closet door, wrapping herself in a shawl. "I'm not leaving him alone tonight."
Sophie crept out of her room, carrying her favorite teddy bear. Without a word, she squeezed into the closet next to Ethan, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with him in the dark. Ethan looked at her, his breathing slowing down as he rested his head against her shoulder. The bond forged in that dusty alleyway was the only anchor keeping him anchored to the present.
