scene thirty-four - alarm - year seven

“Just breathe, yeah? Breathe, kid.” An unknown voice cut through the misty chaos filling their mind, letting the blaring alarm back into their ears again—whining, they clamped their hands over their ears again, knowing it was stupid and childish but unable to do anything else. “Shit, just- oh, fuck it, come here, kid.”

Suddenly, there were strange arms around them, somewhat hesitant at first, gently moving their hands away from the sides of their head and then circling their midsection, squeezing them and keeping them still. Despite everything—all the stranger danger assemblies in primary school and their general gut instinct yelling at them to never let themself be touched by strangers—they found themself needing the support, burrowing their head into this unknown person’s neck and trying to drown out the endless screaming siren which refused to let up.