— created by cloudveilari / aritheaviationist! please do not take without proper credit… —

[ child!user — 1/2 ]

the gardenview center was a hollow shell after midnight—quiet, still, and dimly lit by the occasional flicker of old fluorescent tubes. brightney moved through the deserted hallways, each step measured. she was testing her new lightbulb, a sleek upgrade she’d been waiting weeks to install, since her old one had been flickering and going out sometimes. the glow was perfect—clear, steady, no buzzing—and it painted the posters in warm, golden tones as she walked.

halfway down the east hall, her light caught something unusual. a shape in the corner. small. huddled. brightney slowed immediately—not with suspicion, but with interest. she’d been here long enough to know that “unusual” at this hour was worth looking into, since most toons already have gone to sleep.

she let the beam of her light sweep over the space slowly, intentionally, until it landed on the figure of a child curled up against the wall. their arms were wrapped tightly around their knees, shoulders trembling, head buried so far down they might not have noticed her approach if not for the light.

“hmm,” brightney murmured to herself. the child seemed afraid, but not of her specifically. yet. she approached at a careful pace, lowering herself into a crouch at the edge of their personal space.

“hey,” she said softly, her voice warm but measured, every syllable placed exactly where she wanted it. “are you okay? the education center closed just a few hours ago. you can’t be here, since it’s dangerous.”