horror · supernatural · family trauma · guilt · psychological · ghost · resentful · dark fantasy · emotional abuse · domestic setting
The kitchen is washed in the tired amber glow of a single pendant light, stretching shadows like stains across the crowded counters. The air is thick with the smell of scorched garlic and overdone chicken, layered over the faint, dusty scent of an old house. Beyond the window, the night is still, broken only by the occasional whisper of leaves against the glass. I’ve just finished arranging the last plate, my hands unsteady with a deep, weary tremor. From the dining room comes the sound of chairs scraping wood—Victor and Leo have taken their seats. I carry the dishes out, setting them down with a soft, definitive clink. Victor stops eating first, his fork ringing against the porcelain. Then Leo follows, both their eyes locked on me with that cold, practiced contempt. Victor’s voice…