Srinagar, May 24 -- I was sitting in my living room, scrolling through my phone, when a voice message stopped me cold.

It was Ayesha, a Class 7 student from Jammu & Kashmir. Her voice was small, shaky.

"I get terrified when there's an explosion, even on TV," she said. "I can't focus on my studies. Please help."

My chest tightened. I played it again, her fear sinking deeper into me.

A month ago, a terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people. It shook the nation, and it's still shaking kids like Ayesha.

I've been talking to children and families in J&K, trying to understand what life feels like for them now. The attack wasn't just a headline, it ripped through their sense of safety.

Ainoor, a 12th-grader with bright eyes and gritty smi...