Pamela bent down, her trembling hands reaching for Eloise, who had collapsed to the floor. Eloise didn’t resist; her body sagged beneath the weight of the years she’d carried. She slowly lifted her head, her eyes hollow with a coldness that seemed foreign to the mother who once held her in her arms.
Eloise tried to speak but only a broken, hoarse sound came out. She winced, her throat raw, but even at that moment of pain, she knew she could not hide the damage in her voice. It was a voice ruined by years of neglect, imprisonment, and hardship. A voice no parent should have to hear.
Pamela hesitated, then placed her hand on Eloise’s shoulder. But her touch wasn’t comforting; it felt like a cold reminder of how disconnected they had become. Eloise raised her head fully, her gaze locking wi
