Chapter 6 - Healing Scars
The physical wounds healed faster than the mental ones.
Two months later, the safehouse in the marshlands had become a sanctuary. Elena had brought in Dr. Aris, a specialized child trauma psychologist who had worked with rescued prisoners of war.
Leo was still largely non-verbal. He spent most of his days hiding under the dining room table, clutching a small, stuffed bear Elena had bought him. If anyone moved too quickly, or if a door slammed too loudly, he would instantly curl into a defensive ball, covering the back of his neck where the chain used to be.
It broke Elena's heart into a million pieces every single day.
But she didn't rush him. She sat on the floor with him for hours, not forcing him to speak, just reading books aloud in a soft, soothing voice. She cooked him warm, nutritious meals, leaving the plate near him and walking away so he wouldn't feel cornered.
One rainy afternoon, Elena was sitting on the rug, reading Where the Wild Things Are.
A crack of thunder shook the cabin.
Leo let out a terrified whimper, dropping his bear. Instinctively, he scrambled backward.
"It's okay, Leo," Elena whispered softly, keeping her hands visible and non-threatening. "It's just the weather. You are safe here. Nobody will ever hurt you again."
Leo stared at her, his big brown eyes filled with conflict. For five years, the adults in his life had been monsters. But this woman... this woman fed him, cleaned his wounds, and never raised her voice.
Slowly, agonizingly slowly, Leo crawled out from under the table. He didn't run away. He crawled directly into Elena's lap and buried his face in her chest, his little hands gripping her sweater.
Elena wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his hair, tears streaming down her face.
May you like
"Mama's here," she sobbed quietly, rocking him back and forth. "Mama's never leaving again."
It was the first time he had allowed her to hold him. It was the first crack in the fortress. He was coming back to her.
