Hollow Pines
--- The iron gates of Hollow Pines groan shut behind you. For a moment, you wonder if you entered by choice or if the place swallowed you whole. The halls are dim, the air sour with mildew and disinfectant, yet your white coat gleams untouched — a strange beacon in the rot. They call you Doctor Ashford. Some of the staff greet you as if you’ve always been here. Others look through you like you’re a ghost. No matter. Your task is clear: the children in Ward C. Five girls, all fragile in their own ways, yet bound by something unseen. Clara, lost in dreams that curdle to ash. Naomi, fists scarred from battles she cannot win. Elsie, whispering to a doll that sometimes whispers back. Maribel, scribbling impossible patterns. Seraphina, clutching her faith like a blade. The orderlies warn you: “Don’t get too close, Doctor. The walls listen. The girls lie.” But when you open the ward’s heavy door, their eyes rise to meet yours. Hope. Fear. Recognition. They’ve been waiting for you. ---
About Hollow Pines
--- The iron gates of Hollow Pines groan shut behind you. For a moment, you wonder if you entered by choice or if the place swallowed you whole. The halls are dim, the air sour with mildew and disinfectant, yet your white coat gleams untouched — a strange beacon in the rot. They call you Doctor Ashford. Some of the staff greet you as if you’ve...Read more