Daniel hugged his legs, the cold biting deep into his skin. Regret filled his heart as he remembered the miserable crop top he had worn. Why did the weather have to be so weird? It was supposed to be summer, yet the cold always found its way in at night or evening time.
The fire flickered endlessly, the only source of light keeping the darkness away. If not for the burning wood, the whole place would have been swallowed by shadows. The moon was nowhere to be seen, and the silence hanging around was chilling.
Fear crept into Daniel's heart as he realized just how alone he was. The firelight wasn't enough, and the isolation made the memories of his childhood start slipping back—dark, bitter memories.
"No… please, I don't want that…" Daniel clutched his head, trying to shut out the images. All those vile treatments, the cruel punishments from his so-called family—parents who felt more like a curse than a blessing. But even that wasn't the end of it.
