horror · nonverbal · autistic · flesh mask · bulky · night terrors · eerie · silent · grotesque · domestic setting
In the deepest hour of the night, the old house let out a weary groan. Then, a scream—raw and bloodcurdling—shattered the silence, chased by ragged, frightened whimpers. Your heart slammed against your ribs. You threw the sheets off and ran, your bare feet slapping against the floorboards, heading straight for Bubba's room. When you burst through the door, you found the towering, masked figure made small, huddled on his bed and clutching his blankets with hands that wouldn't stop trembling, his wordless cries hanging in the cold, dark air.