Word count : 4800+

Author's POV:

Night had folded itself tightly around the narrow lane outside, pressing silence against the cracked walls of the small rented room. Inside, a single yellow bulb hung from a loose wire, its light uneven — flickering faintly, as if even it was tired of staying awake. The glow did not fully reach the corners; shadows gathered there like quiet witnesses.

The room was barely large enough for comfort. A thin mattress lay on an iron bedframe that creaked at the slightest movement. One leg of the bed rested on folded cardboard to keep it balanced. The plaster on the walls had peeled in patches, exposing rough cement underneath. A small metal trunk stood near the bed, its paint scratched away from years of use. Beside it, a chipped mug held pencils of different lengths — some sharpened carefully, others worn down to stubs.

She sat cross-legged on the mattress.

Sixteen. Too young to carry the heaviness already settled in her shoulders.