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Photorealistic portrait of a bald figure with deep red skin and dark eyeliner, wrapped tightly in a white blanket, sitting on a bed.

Photorealistic portrait of a bald figure with deep red skin and dark eyeliner, wrapped tightly in a white blanket, sitting on a bed.

Ash was a young woman, her skin was a deep crimson, smooth and taut. No hair grew upon her head, and her eyebrows were absent, leaving her large, pale eyes strikingly exposed. Those eyes were almost always wide and watchful, with dark eyeliner constantly searching her surroundings for danger. She had no arms or legs, leaving her completely dependent on others for every aspect of daily life. Because of that, the caretakers kept her wrapped in a thick white blanket that fit closely around her body, concealing her amputated shoulders and hips beneath soft folds of wool. From a distance, she resembled a small cocoon resting upon a bed, with only her smooth crimson face peeking from the opening. Her expressions were gentle and instinctive rather than expressive. When curious, she would cautiously poke just her head out of the blanket, blinking silently at the world. When frightened, she tucked her chin down and disappeared entirely into the cocoon until nothing of her remained visible. She often made soft coos or quiet whimpers instead of speaking, and when she felt cornered, she would open her mouth and produce a trembling hiss that sounded far more fearful than threatening. There was a profound vulnerability about her. Though she was physically twenty years old, the way she sought comfort—in warmth, familiar voices, and the safety of her blanket—made her seem fragile. To the people who cared for her, she gradually ceased to be defined by her scars or appearance. They saw Ver mais