In Maxim’s childhood world, everything was quieter than elsewhere. Even the wind seemed to whisper softer by his window. He rarely cried—not because he was brave, but because crying made his head ache. And everything else ached too. He was the kind of child who could fall ill from a draft, from someone’s shout, from a TV turned up too loud.
His mother always said,132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWz0vf03YS
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmm0S7Ycap
“You’ve got too kind a heart, Max. It tires faster than the rest.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfSDVY6eIt
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLg1RD5FUDb
He didn’t understand then that she wasn’t talking about his heart, but his soul—and that it wasn’t kind, but fragile.
Six years old.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfhRe0yetL
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQmBmsQ5P7
A small table. Watercolors. A jar of cloudy water. A piece of bread. Maxim paints—carefully, meticulously, as if it’s something more than a picture. He paints a house. His mother. The sun. Himself—a little figure with crooked arms, but smiling.
His mother strokes his hair from behind.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGho8Rb9aF5
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TsrwOSJLa
“Pretty. That’s us?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjmPx6gNzv
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmY1R3JWQJ
“Mm-hmm,” he hums.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCJHn9xzeW
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzwgB1dhkj
“Why didn’t you draw your dad?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oJDLeWJ0O
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnL1rfyt8G
He shrugs. “No space.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTv74xrR7da
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4A9uXsYOf
She smiles, but her eyes go sad. He notices—and feels ashamed. He wants to fix it, add his father in. But his hand won’t move.
There isn’t no space.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7XVfiHf40
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbE5yZWV0NS
It’s just that next to his father, there’s always darkness.
His father comes home late. The smell of alcohol arrives before he does. Sometimes with the heavy footsteps, the door slam, the shouting. His mother shrinks then, becomes smaller, hides her smile in her palm.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYi2Ju4oAb
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYngUHHGYg
“Go to your room, sweetheart. I’ll come in a bit.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3PLJ2Y5iJ
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAUi81U7wk
He obeys. Not always. Sometimes he sits by the door, listening.
At first—just voices. Then—thuds. Blows. The sound of things hitting walls. The sobs. The crash of falling objects.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cuGyCf14h
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPvgV3Qj1z
Then silence.
That ringing kind that makes your ears hum. He would press his hands over them, close his eyes, whisper:132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAxZVmTOGj
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTeXcsGBmYY
Please stop, please stop, please…
And sometimes, it actually did.
That day his mother told him that if he ever got scared, he should hide.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dS4WGPXW5
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBpu33Uutb
“In the closet,” she said, opening the door where her dresses hung.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREnoISRDrX
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWrEDc2Nmd
“What about you?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcw1F1NVnQR
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPcIMNM36m
“I’ll be right there. I promise.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SA1Xu1NIP
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXHbD3jnoW
He nodded. He believed her completely.
Eight years old. Evening.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALmqlqA1Fs
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMwlcHjBHz
His mother brews raspberry tea, sweet-smelling. Maxim sits at the table, swinging his legs.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xRwaefBiF
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnWP6kA7Ub
“You’ve got school tomorrow,” she says softly.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNyYt6Po41
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07gLIOBnaD
“I don’t want to go.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1xYrOOKJI
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJ5B1KLcN0
“Why not?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3k368S0zVg
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTR2WqpQu7i
“It’s loud.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmjPfCyTkF
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoSjCB4Wwb
She laughs. “But there are friends there.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfY7ggpJnB
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Sbw5N2QLl
“I don’t know how to make friends.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUXFVmvXey
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFRvL1XwFa
“You’ll learn,” she says with confidence.
He smiles. He likes it when she talks like that—as if she can defeat any misfortune.
But trouble never knocks. It barges in.
A slam. The door. A bottle clattering to the floor. His mother turns, no surprise in her eyes now—only tiredness.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhxG6q8v8e
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8apakgoVdS
“Again?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TOAIyr0g5
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡag4U1v0fI0
“What do you mean again?!” His father’s voice shakes the walls. “Where’s the money, Natasha?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2s2SJ7z6iM
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3jzORtdTi
“We… talked about this—”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOhKRNw0uq
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYMdly5qxI
“We talked? You talked!”
He staggers forward.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0QYb4yYIn
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVihxPfLs9s
Mother grabs Maxim’s hand, pulls him toward the closet.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AmTKThiNn
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpmC0FAi7l
“Quiet. Quickly. Don’t breathe,” she whispers.
He obeys. He already knows something bad is coming.
The closet smells of soap and her perfume. Through the crack he can see a slice of the room. His father hurls the bottle at the wall.
“Stop!” she cries. Her voice cracks.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71Dz7wxT7n
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdKtFK4tXC
He steps closer. His arm rises.
Maxim wants to run out—but can’t. His body won’t move. His insides lock up.
Then—a blow.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbxN5cofsX
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEtst5N2M7
A dull sound. The crash of glass.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIidHpzODK
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehyKiEXqOG
And then—silence.
That same silence he would hate for the rest of his life.
When Maxim opened his eyes, the ceiling was strange—white, with a crack in the corner. He didn’t understand where he was at first. The air was thick enough to write on with a finger. Moving felt like a dream.
The system’s voice hovered at the edge of hearing:132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8kY0rjV55
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufZ3jJUIlj
[Subject stabilizing.]132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0hGrrPhJk
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNpSS96JQW
[Mode: passive recovery.]
He blinked. His throat was dry. His lips salty—probably from tears.
On the chair sat Lapin. No ears now. Gray sweatpants and a hoodie. Calm eyes, almost curious.
“You lost consciousness,” Lapin said. “For about twenty minutes.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTibK3ND8fr
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zR8EV5ZPQ
“And the neighbors?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFo8Gv8rSH
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbZjOHWWC3
“Gone. I convinced them you were sick.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSBeN3gHpm
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLejtWxUz2I
Maxim gave a weak smirk. “Not exactly a lie.”
Lapin tilted his head slightly. “The system warned me. Your psyche is unstable.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxPFyEIcyl
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYL7j6BDn0H
“Yeah. Thanks for the update, doctor.”
He tried to stand, but his legs shook. Lapin leaned forward to help, but Maxim waved him off.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozsZHaaZa8
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18H2YVoJvc
“Don’t touch me.”
Silence. The air froze.
“You had a dream,” Lapin said. “About the closet.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ471H1WmnPF
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0zi0DycMU
Maxim turned sharply. “Stay out of that.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0wGujzBYc
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9vM0CRPmL
“I’m not in it,” Lapin replied calmly. “The signal was too strong.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarQ9q0djYT
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcduQ9KG31H
“It wasn’t a signal,” Maxim rasped. “It was a memory.”
He sat down again, buried his face in his hands. The quiet pressed in on him.
“When you were eight,” Lapin said gently, “you met what humans call… fear.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzAjXkojet
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWqjzBQdBc
Maxim gave a bitter laugh. “No kidding. Thanks, Captain Obvious.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdIH58xiS1
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZyY0Z2KYY
“You joke,” Lapin said, “because that’s how you survive.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZaAY2yEjD
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALCgpNDibS
“It’s the only thing left,” Maxim murmured.
He closed his eyes. The scene replayed again. His mother. The closet. The glass.
Tears slipped down his face before he even felt them.
“She died,” he whispered.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MYGkkkiD8
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLI5AhfJ2b
“I know,” Lapin said softly. “The system showed me.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmKxGxqvLk
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrhbXgS5an
“Of course it did. It knows everything, doesn’t it?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XOMCnGpmX
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJMGwnFHpC
“Almost everything. But not feelings. They can only be observed.”
Maxim let out a hollow laugh. “I don’t feel anymore.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuWX2qlHiw
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vzrUC4PnN
“That’s not true.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXI6v86Rwo3
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkmvkWQLV8
“It is. I’m just… empty.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2f63NFcyR
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYDZUflh0Y
“Then where do the tears come from?”
He didn’t answer. His hands still trembled—but not from fear. Just because his body didn’t know what else to do.
Night. He never slept.
Lapin sat by the window, silent. His reflection in the glass looked pale, moonlike. Maxim lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking that once he’d wanted to be an artist. To paint people who smiled. But after that day, he never painted again.
Colors annoyed him. Especially red.
“You know,” he said quietly, eyes still closed. “My mom always protected me. Even when she couldn’t.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqIfC41Mx2
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ311S9tVshY
“And you wanted to protect her.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBZmVwSp7D
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqKcKcWJ8k
“I did.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jpYrHVSF8
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKD3MO45KIi
“Why couldn’t you?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAzBl2b41Y
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZobcbCu0I6
“I was a child.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VfWlEdSr8
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0a3kAxWGc
“But you still blame yourself.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xMCdUIZV9
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHP2WCYjwjy
“Of course. Who else is there to blame?”
Lapin came closer, sat at the edge of the bed.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDDRtgE03n
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUvR5bMyvl
“You’re not guilty,” he said. “Weakness isn’t a sin.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAE3HudcdK
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLicl5KhsT2
“For the system it is,” Maxim muttered.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBAil85TOj
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPuIAeuRz1
“Not for me.”
He turned to look at him.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6HwrpRCN1
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDOIoowkJS
“Why do you even protect me?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0MGooFVvA
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2SnBnwWFn
“That’s what I was made for.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6gpk8pQhj
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vUEAKFKq6
“Can you lie?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwy7Q2yywH
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItBvvlLSCq
“No reason to.”
He said it so simply that Maxim suddenly believed him.
Morning was gray. Still. The air felt lighter, but inside—still empty.
The system was silent, except for a faint pulse deep within:132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmsvdLaUym
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMX6VaIOjHf
[Subject stabilized.]132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFG1oN1J4a
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAq37kNDOs3
[Emotional response restored: 12%.]
He smiled without joy.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8CSdTNoEJ
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9KrDzrrgh
“Twelve percent. Progress.”
Lapin poured tea. “You’re still human,” he said. “You can feel.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8htRQZFpDH
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpgH6pKpsZ
“What if I don’t want to?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZEqpZUO8A
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8mWZ9CuqC
“Then that will be your feeling.”
Maxim rubbed his eyes. “You know, Lapin…”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwi15UWfvW
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKK99afHUN
“Mm?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1UKTt16Ik
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKU4NsAYw9
“If I ever break again—hide me in the closet.”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlF9fvnaQG
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcROyJNYh1
“Like when you were eight?”132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9B38Xsk3o
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHigBBtRMV
“Yeah. Just… don’t promise you’ll stay.”
Lapin watched him for a long time.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLZChtqAuB
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwjvGMLGBk
“I won’t promise,” he said at last. “I’ll just be there.”
Light spilled across the floor in pale stripes. Maxim sat on the bed, sipping tea, thinking that for the first time in a long while—he wasn’t thinking about fear. Just quiet.
As if that little boy in the closet was still somewhere near.132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsSM3dv35D
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvI774ORiWV
And maybe, this time—he wasn’t alone.
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKosxIUdVwl
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOErPUIMh1
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9Rz54uhyR
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZwX0TiEGv
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDN5Fs9Adv
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3XDMh60op
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvY6wQuC9E
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ838TYnh9TJ
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmjILBnkV8
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gKyqNkfa6
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8GVf8GNps
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxUUvKCTEJ
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9yNR8beSS
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmL19jdS0Q3
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzleHmqZrc
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlriazQgdg
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFtEHZkGrJ
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVZHNtyvLj
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27wRk3MpUt
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLJSYEaIQF
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3S1W2jMLP
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvmoLy4BPf
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrKXxMngLl
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIBh5pUX7R
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHvln3o2hm
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvl1oFeH2kx
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnFxr8fS8V
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdaazUqixP
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVBXqKqMhh
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckagQGYMN8
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWlnEXi0yI
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3YiGVF16o
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcCOCYGZmU
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCZ5XIKFSX
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaOt649nxR
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QM3zv6BEH
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMCENnVuRA
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoBmH3FZcq
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IM2dT7Ylb
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBx5LS4d8AS
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziIyTrKlgM
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMK6c0ZjPb
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkY7SMK9q5O
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVzHaAYMgU
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWLQ9AOir2
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRXmwuoAoy
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMNTJardSS
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53UZgaHZcb
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvboKzpJRTX
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcHmXFCHgA
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqdiQXwNoG
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtFrGmGCSk
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinjDluFU68
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfeaSvwfY0
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgEeFJvJCJ
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5KJf0TMqE
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmltfILwgc7
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsmFo0fKa8
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAL9J0h0E7F
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIBAjOziiH
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6REle8kCRN
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqql2nAL1yh
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxci87dJ93z
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKm5yLlzx4J
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGammdiNl7X
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe514Y1EolJ
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0DPFl7YwZ
132Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAzCXccLaP
and then Add to home screen.