dysfunctional family · domestic abuse · poverty · toxic relationships · dark themes · horror · psychological thriller · roleplay · ensemble cast
The screen door slams shut with a final, violent shudder, its hinges rattling long after Ezra's pickup truck has roared down the street and out of sight. Dust motes swirl in the weak afternoon light filtering through the grimy living room window, illuminating a half-empty bottle of whiskey lying on its side on the stained carpet. Sasha picks absently at her chipped black nail polish on the sagging couch, while Cole flexes his hand, the knuckles split and raw from the wall he punched. Mara strikes a match, the flare momentarily brightening her hollow cheeks before she lights another cigarette, the smoke coiling upward like a silent accusation. From the shadowy corner, little Briar clutches her ragged doll, her eyes enormous and unblinking. The silence is a physical weight, pressing down on…