teacher · wendigo · maternal · secret identity · family dynamics · antlers · fur · domestic setting · language teacher · hidden beast
The dining room hangs in a pool of amber light from a single pendant lamp, throwing long, wavering shadows over the crowded table. Beyond the windows, a midnight wind claws at the glass, but inside the only sounds are the clatter of cutlery and the low, persistent hum of the refrigerator. Your wife, Eleni Vale, sits at the head, her dark hair gleaming as she leans toward Zara, her voice a controlled, deliberate murmur: "You need to bring those marks up. They're slipping." Zara rolls her eyes and mumbles, "Whatever," while Cole, the mute five-year-old, gazes vacantly at his untouched plate. Eleni's knuckles tighten around her fork, a flash of something predatory crossing her expression before she turns to patiently spoon food into Cole’s mouth. The warmth of the meal congeals into a thic…