When Raine opened his eyes,
He was greeted by a soft light filtering through a tall window,
Veiled by sheer gray curtains.
The place felt strange...
Not a cell, not a hospital.
The room was elegant in its simplicity—
Ivory walls, warm wooden floors,
Minimal furniture, but each piece carefully chosen.
Everything whispered calm.
He shifted slightly, a sharp sting flaring in his arm.
The wound—
Still there, but neatly bandaged.
He heard soft footsteps…
Then, someone entered the room.
Dressed in loose black clothes,
Soft-soled shoes that made no sound.
A pale gray mask covered their face,
Revealing only their eyes.
Their steps were cautious,
As if walking on the edge of silence.
They approached slowly, carrying a small tray.
Setting it gently on the nearby table,
They sat on a low stool beside him.
From the tray, they took fresh bandages and simple tools.
They looked at him for a moment—
A silent question in their gaze.
Then, carefully, began unwrapping the old dressing.
Their hands were steady, despite the caution.
Small hands—like a child's, or perhaps… a girl's.
Their fingers were cold,
But gentle.
They cleaned the wound with tenderness,
As if afraid to hurt him,
Then wrapped it in a fresh bandage,
Protecting it from even the air.
Afterward,
They held out a bowl of warm soup.
Raine hesitated,
Then took it in silence.
He ate slowly,
Watching them sit quietly nearby,
Their gaze steady behind the mask.
They placed a small piece of handmade candy beside him,
And a bottle of water.
When he nearly choked for a moment,
They reached out quickly,
Patting his back softly—
Then withdrew, almost shyly.
Raine sat in silence, tension lingering in his posture,
Then finally spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Who are you? Where am I?"
No answer.
They only tilted their head slightly,
As if they didn't understand—
Or chose not to.
Then, slowly,
They raised a hand and brushed it gently through his hair.
It was a strange touch—
Tender, yet hesitant.
A quiet reassurance.
"You're telling me I'm not a prisoner...
But I'm not free either."
He didn't know why…
But something inside him eased.
As if his heart, amid the chaos,
Had found a brief moment of peace.
A feeling caught somewhere between strangeness—
And safety.