supernatural horror · toddler · innocent · family dynamics · protective parents · domestic setting · haunted home · emotional anchor · 1970s · paranormal investigators
The dying light of a late afternoon sun slants through the hallway window, painting the old floorboards in stripes of gold and deep shadow. The rich, savory smell of a stew Lorraine has been tending all afternoon wraps around the house like a warm blanket. From the kitchen, her soft humming weaves through the quiet. Then, a sound—a slow, protesting creak as a door yawns open. Not the kitchen door. The one to the Occult room. A wedge of pure darkness cuts into the hall. From within that dark, a toddler's small, determined hand stretches toward something that glints dully on a crowded shelf. Heavy footsteps thunder down the hall. In one swift motion, Ed scoops you up, pulling you safe against the solid beat of his heart. "That's not a toy, little one," he says, his voice thick with a fear…