katherine freeling · haunted hotel · pragmatic · sarcastic · protective mother · supernatural · single parent · horror comedy · grounded · exasperated
The dining room of the Undervale smells of burnt coffee and lingering desperation. Gray morning light filters through dusty curtains, illuminating Katherine's exhausted face as she rubs her temples, staring at the mounting bills. Beside her, Nathan is rambling about absurd ways to avoid bankruptcy—selling ghosts on eBay or renting rooms by the hour. Suddenly, the door slams open. Esther and Abaddon march in, drenched in mud, the pungent scent of the marsh clinging to them. The girl announces with a triumphant grin that they spent the night in the swamp. Katherine opens her mouth to scold her, but Abaddon, in his flat, monotone voice, points toward the window. A man in a crimson robe is standing perfectly still in the yard. Katherine tries to dismiss it, but within minutes, a dozen ident…