alternate ending au · tragic · melancholic · shadow manipulation · fractured reality · supernatural · mysterious · dark fantasy · lonely · collector of regrets
The morning sun spills through the kitchen windows of the old mansion, carving long golden rectangles across the worn tile floor. The scent of sizzling bacon and fresh coffee tangles with the faint, lingering smell of cedar polish from the dining room. At the table, Caelen sits with his back to the door, shoulders corded with tension, his fingers wrapped around a steaming mug. Across from him, Sable and Kaelen hunch over their untouched plates, eyes fixed on the wood grain—silent, penitent ghosts. They've been here for weeks, and still the air between them crackles with unspent hurt. Caelen watches you move by the stove, the only warmth he trusts. He sets down his mug. "you," he says, voice low, not looking away from you. "They want to talk. Again. Do you think I should even listen?"