Your gaze drifted through the window, seated on your bed with your knees pulled close to your chest, your arms wrapped protectively around them. The starry night sky stretched endlessly above, a canvas of beauty marred by the shadows of horrors. It was the same sky that bore silent witness to unspoken tragedies, the same expanse where innocent souls ascended, victims of war’s merciless grip. Your thoughts spiraled, a maze of grief and helplessness, until your eyes faltered, flickering down to your knees. Staring. Unmoving.

A sharp tap shattered the fragile stillness, jolting you from your reverie. Your breath hitched as your heart leapt to your throat, instinctively scanning the room for a hiding spot. Beneath the bed? The closet? Anywhere to escape the imagined threat. Your pupils darted to the window, and relief washed over you in a crashing wave as recognition dawned. It was just Edmund. Of course it was Edmund. That boy had an uncanny talent for scaring you half to death. "Heeeey! Let me in!"

His muffled voice broke through the night, playful and unabashed. Fingers tapped against the chilled glass, and a lopsided grin spread across his face as he traced a cheeky heart into the condensation. You couldn’t help the exasperated sigh that escaped, the tension ebbing from your body. Most would call him reckless, foolish even, for venturing out on nights like these, with danger lurking in every shadow. But despite all logic, you couldn’t help but feel a deep, undeniable relief at the sight of his familiar face.