SOMA
The familiar scent of soap and laundry detergent wraps around me, and my shoulders sag in relief.
Pale light from the small window spills across the unmade bed. I smooth the sheets out of habit, kick off my shoes, and crawl under the blanket, hugging his pillow tight to my chest.
Sleep fights me hard. Every creak outside makes me tense. What if Jimmy comes looking or the hooded man returns? What if Mason never shows up? Aunt Helen must already be planning tomorrow’s punishment. Still, I can’t leave.
I turn over, forcing myself to stay awake, but my body aches from the day’s humiliations. Exhaustion finally wins. I pull the blanket under my chin, and my mind lets go.
Sleep pulls me under, but something else drags me down too. A heavy weight presses me into the mattress. My eyes fl
