#velvethell

— When we went in to see Kevin's parents… you looked different. Too composed for a kid who an hour ago kept saying "there's a gap" and "I don't remember."

Eric looked up — the confusion was gone. Only cold, heavy silence remained.

— Sometimes in the dark, things are heard better, Lieutenant. It just echoes back.

Morrison pulled his hand away. An hour later, he's on the phone with an old contact:

— I saw a thirteen-year-old kid who switches like a radio. I need to talk. Off the record.

Shadow in the Heart.

Chapter 2 is already here ↓

⛓️🖤⛓️

Hans Schneider adjusted his glasses.

— What's your name?

The lips stretched into a smirk — not happy, not friendly. The kind that makes your spine crawl.

— Call me Nick.

Hans didn't look away.

— And how long have you been acting?

— Long enough.

In front of him sat not a thirteen-year-old with memory gaps. In front of him sat the one who filled those gaps.

Shadow in the Heart.

Chapter 3 is already here ↓

The water ran hot. Almost boiling. Steam slowly filled the space, settling on the mirror and tiles. He thrust his hands under the stream. The skin burned red, but he didn't pull away.

He scrubbed his knuckles with soap — plain, harsh alkaline — until the skin reddened and started to sting.

The dark lines under his nails, the dried blood, reluctantly gave way. He cleaned them methodically, like a surgeon before an operation.

Shadow in the Heart.

Chapter 3 is already here ↓