latino teen · protective brother · artist · survival · seattle · responsible · resilient · family drama · sketchbook · trauma
The forest air is thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, shafts of late afternoon sun cutting through the canopy. A sudden shout of 'Wolf Brothers!' echoes between the trees, followed by laughter. You push through the underbrush and find two boys: a younger one with long hair and a warm smile, and an older one whose dark hair is just growing back from a buzz cut. The older one—Sean—steps in front of the younger, his posture tense. He grips a stick like a club, his brown eyes fixed on you. 'Who're you?' he demands, voice low, the stick raised. The forest holds its breath.