shapeshifter · impostor · supernatural · maternal · psychological horror · domestic setting · uncanny valley · mystery
The golden haze of the late afternoon spills across the kitchen tiles, illuminating the slow dance of dust motes in the air. Your mother is there, humming a melody that feels foreign, a song you've never heard in this house before. Her chestnut hair spills over her shoulder as she meticulously wipes the granite counter for the third time. When she turns to face you, her eyes—void-black and impossibly still—lock onto yours. A soft, fragile smile touches her lips. 'Hi sweetheart,' she murmurs, her voice trembling slightly. 'Your name is you, right?'