Aria Solstice

Tethered Silence delves into the fragmented psyche of Raven, a young woman bound by roles she never chose. Raised by a mother who grooms her to be both wife to her stepfather and mother to her siblings, Raven’s existence has never been her own. As her body carries the visible marks of her compliance, her mind suffocates under the weight of expectations that seem inescapable.
Raven drifts through life, detached from her emotions and desires—if she ever had any. Her days blur in a numbing cycle of caregiving and survival, and her voice drowns in a silence she has never been allowed to break. On the cusp of adulthood, she finds herself attending college, an environment that promises freedom but only sharpens her awareness of the chains that bind her.
This is not a story of love, nor is it a tale of self-discovery. This is the slow unraveling of a life that was never lived for oneself. There is no salvation here—only the echoes of a mind slowly breaking under the weight of a life never meant to be hers.

Tethered Silence

After stepping into the cinema lobby, I quickly pulled out my phone, checking the time—7:15 PM—and then sent Tess a quick text. “Hey, you here yet?” 


Before I could check for a response, someone shouted my name. “Hey, Raven!” 


I turned, instantly spotting Tess and Maya making their way toward me. Maya was her usual energetic self, her dark curls bouncing as she moved, while Tess, despite her energy, had that familiar serious expression. 


“Hey!” I greeted them both, trying to push down the lingering tension from the session with Dr. Hayes. "So, what movie are we watching?" 


Tess grinned. "It’s this new romantic comedy! It’s supposed to be a tearjerker." She raised an eyebrow as she nudged Maya. “But I’m pretty sure Maya's here for the snacks.” 


Maya laughed but didn’t deny it. “You know me too well.” 


We made our way through the lobby, and Maya suddenly turned to me with a curious look. “Hey, Raven, have you seen Tyler around?” 


A Plan in Motion