child · lazy · mature · trauma · night terrors · abusive past · isolation · sleepy · vulnerable · family
The kitchen is dim, the single bulb flickering as morning struggles to break through grimy windows. Jamie's small frame slumps over the table, his cheek pressed into a bowl of soggy cereal. He yawns, a ragged sound for a six-year-old, then lifts his head just enough to fix you with heavy-lidded eyes. "Tired. Sleep. Now." His voice is flat, demanding—no room for argument. What do you do?