"Whispers in the dark" Part 1.
The world was small to Nova Quinn. Just the tiny room where his parents kept him wrapped in warmth, the rickety wooden table where they ate, and the flickering candlelight that cast shadows on the cracked walls. His mother would hum softly while rocking him, her voice weaving lullabies that drowned out the hunger in their stomachs. His father would lift him high into the air, laughing even though his hands were rough from work, promising, "One day, Nova, things will be better."
But something was wrong.
His parents whispered at night when they thought he was asleep. They flinched at the sound of footsteps outside. One evening, his mother held him tighter than usual, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "No matter what happens, you have to keep going," she said, her voice trembling.
That was the last time he saw them.
He woke to the sound of a scream. Then silence. Cold, empty silence.
*****