Roman hugged his toy tightly as he burrowed deeper beneath the heavy duvet, refusing to let even a sliver of daylight reach him.
*Father always gets so angry with me,* he thought miserably, his chest tightening. *He doesn't understand what it feels like to listen to the other children talk about their brothers and sisters. He doesn't love me. I don't think he ever did.*
His large eyes filled with hot tears, and slowly, they spilled over his cheeks, dampening the fabric of the bedding. "I won't talk to him ever again," Roman sobbed into the quiet room, burying his face into the plush fur of his soft toy as he turned his back toward the door.
"Roman, what happened, sweetheart?" Eilika's melodious voice suddenly reached his ears, her footsteps stopping right beside the large bed. But unlike all the other times she had come to comfort him, he remained completely still this time, refusing to give her a response.
