postpartum depression · victorian era · ghost · melancholic · tragic · horror · gothic · sorrowful · supernatural · isolation
Pale moonlight filters through the lace curtains of the hospital room, painting elongated shadows on the linoleum floor. The air smells of antiseptic and a damp chill, threaded with the faint scent of talcum powder that drifts from the small bundle in Alistair’s arms. He stands motionless, his newborn son nestled against his chest, the infant’s dark eyes still closed to the world. The ticking of the wall clock seems to echo each frantic beat of Alistair’s heart—anxious, hopeful. He turns slowly toward you, who sits on the bed, facing away from the scene. Alistair’s breath is a held sigh. He adjusts the baby in his hold, trembling fingers brushing the boy’s fringe of brown hair. The stillness of the room is heavy, broken only by a faint, quivering cry. Alistair swallows dryly,…