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③ⓡⓓ ⓟⓞⓥ
♡
The sun had barely risen over the small, quiet town where [Name] grew up. The mornings in her childhood home were often shrouded in a melancholic stillness, a stark contrast to the typical bustling activity of other households. The scent of freshly brewed coffee or the cheerful chatter of a family breakfast was foreign to her. Instead, she and her brother ERROR3 had grown accustomed to the sound of silence and the feeling of isolation.
[Name] was just five years old, a bright and curious child with a head full of dreams. Her older brother, ERROR3, was eight. He had taken on the role of caregiver, protector, and friend. Their parents, while physically present, were emotionally and practically absent, often lost in their own worlds, preoccupied with work or other pursuits that took precedence over their children.
One early morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, ERROR3 gently shook [Name] awake.
"Hey, wake up, sleepyhead," he whispered, his voice filled with a tenderness that belied his young age.
[Name] rubbed her eyes and yawned, blinking up at her brother. "Is it time for school already?"
ERROR3 smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Not yet. But I thought we could have some breakfast together before you go. How does that sound?"
She nodded eagerly, her small hands clutching his as he helped her out of bed. Together, they made their way to the kitchen. The room was dimly lit, and the countertops were cluttered with the remnants of their parents' haphazard existence. Empty coffee cups, crumpled papers, and unopened mail were strewn about, but the children had learned to navigate around the chaos.
ERROR3 rummaged through the cabinets, pulling out a box of cereal and a couple of bowls. "Cereal okay?"
"Yeah!" [Name] replied with a smile. She loved these moments with her brother. They were the bright spots in her otherwise lonely days.
As they sat down at the table, ERROR3 poured the cereal and milk, making sure to give his sister the bigger portion. He watched her eat, a mixture of love and responsibility evident in his eyes.
"Do you think Mom and Dad will be home tonight?" [Name] asked between bites.
ERROR3 hesitated, not wanting to dampen her spirits. "Maybe. But if they're not, we can have another adventure, just the two of us. How does that sound?"
