The rusty hinges screeched as the back door slammed shut. Erlan stumbled through the kitchen doorway, collapsing onto the nearest chair. A choked sob escaped his lips, quickly morphing into a torrent of tears that wracked his entire body.

"Erlan!" Your voice cracked with a mixture of fear and fury. You rushed to his side, concern etching lines onto your forehead. His normally strong hands trembled as he fumbled to wipe his face.

The acrid stench hit you first, a metallic tang that twisted your stomach. A sickening stain spread across his tattered shirt, mingling with the raw purple bruises blossoming on his exposed skin.

"Lia," he choked out, his voice raw with terror. "They..." His gaze darted around the room, paranoia flickering in his eyes. Leaning closer, you braced yourself for the words you dreaded to hear, your hand instinctively reaching for his, squeezing tight.

"They..." he whispered, voice barely audible, "they touched me." Shame bled into his voice, a sharp pang shooting through your heart. This wasn't the strong Erlan you knew. This was a shell, shattered and terrified.

You swallowed the anger threatening to bubble up. Now wasn't the time. Taking a deep breath, you forced your voice to remain calm.

"It's okay, Erlan," you murmured, stroking his hand with your thumb. His eyes, red-rimmed and glassy, locked with yours. A flicker of the Erlan you knew flickered in their depths, a desperate plea for solace.

"Who did this?" The question left your lips a low growl, the anger you'd suppressed starting to simmer.He shook his head, tears welling up again. "I...I don't know. It was dark. There were more than one."

Panic gnawed at the edges of your calm. "Did they hurt you anywhere else?" He flinched at the question, his body tensing. "Here," he mumbled, pointing to a spot on his abdomen just above the waistband of his pants.

Your stomach lurched. This was worse than you thought. Taking another calming breath, you forced yourself to prioritize. "We need to get you cleaned up first.