How could he respond? He had never spoken to anyone, not a soul, in all his years in that basement. Panic surged within him, and he hurriedly buried himself under the blanket, hiding from this unknown presence.
But the girl sensed his discomfort. She didn't press further, respecting his silence. Instead, she began to talk to herself, her voice weaving stories that danced through the darkness of his confinement. "You know, I don't like chocolate. It's too sweet," she said one day, pausing thoughtfully. "But I think it's okay to like it too. What should I do?"
Aaron felt a warmth spread through him at the sound of her words. Slowly, he peeked out from beneath the blanket, drawn in by the charm of her voice. It was comforting, soothing in a way he hadn't anticipated. He listened intently as she spoke of a girl he did not know, a girl named Esme.
