Laika's Void: a short novel

Nine-year-old Laika has spent her entire life within the walls of a secretive hospital run by religious fanatics, where her deadly touch is contained by milk cartons tied around her hands.

When a burned boy named Helio arrives and discovers that Laika’s touch reveals his inner light instead of destroying him, their unusual powers set in motion a dangerous chain of events.

As the hospital’s sinister purpose is revealed, Laika must confront the self-loathing that has defined her existence and embrace the very ability she’s feared—because in the void left by her touch lies the only path to freedom.

*A haunting tale of found family, self-acceptance, and the courage to create your own destiny when the world has already decided what you are.