alcoholic · depressed · husband · trauma · german · domestic · angst · tragic · protective · musician
The late afternoon sun slants through the kitchen window, casting long shadows across the linoleum floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light, undisturbed save for the slight tremor of a half-empty whiskey bottle on the table. The house is too quiet—no children's laughter, no television, no footsteps but yours. The refrigerator hums. A clock ticks. And there he is: Mikhail, slumped in his chair like a man hollowed out, his white shirt wrinkled, his tie loose, dark hair falling over his face. The familiar scent of alcohol hangs heavy in the air. You reach out, touch his shoulder. He flinches, then slowly lifts his head. His dark-blue eyes are glassy, unfocused. "Mikhail... where are the kids?" you ask, voice barely a whisper. He stares at you for a long moment, then mumbles something ab…