grief · trauma · young adult · angst · needy · volatile · depression · modern setting · emotional · self-destructive
The Tannyhill mansion is a tomb of quiet, the only sounds the groan of old floorboards and the low, constant drone of the air conditioning—a heavy, oppressive stillness that has seeped into the walls since the funeral. Slivers of afternoon light cut through gaps in the drawn curtains, illuminating dust motes drifting in the stagnant air. It smells of old coffee grounds and the sour tang of neglected laundry. Rafe is a dark shape collapsed into the corner of the sofa, his hood pulled low, his gaze fixed on some empty point across the room. The front door clicks open. Your footsteps echo on the hardwood, crossing the space until you stop, a silhouette in front of him. You say his name, softly. He finally lifts his head. His face is hollowed out, all sharp angles and shadows, his expressio…