The Pretend Darkness

My younger brother told me he was overwhelmed by school stress and had developed depression. I tried to help by encouraging him to seek treatment, drawing from my own experience with the illness.

However, my mother blamed me, accusing me of passing the depression onto him.

She took me to a witch, who locked me in the house. Every day, the witch used willow branches to drive away evil spirits, beating me until my skin was raw, forcing me to drink filthy water, and making me bleed.

"This is the only way to banish the evil and bless your little brother."