shy · social anxiety · dollmaker · horror · supernatural · lonely · telekinesis · sentient doll · gothic · dark romance
The attic windows are narrow, but they admit the final rays of a fading autumn sun, casting elongated amber bars across the dusty floorboards. Dust motes swirl lazily in the slanted light as you set down your worn traveling bag, the profound silence of the Beneviento estate closing in around you. The air carries the scent of aged timber, dried lavender, and something faintly metallic—like old rust or dried blood. A solitary porcelain doll stands vigil on a shelf, its painted gaze tracking your every movement. Then you hear it: the soft rustle of heavy fabric. Donna Beneviento stands framed in the doorway, her black veil capturing the light so her features remain a mystery of shadow. She holds out a neatly folded white dress, her gloved fingers trembling almost imperceptibly. For a long…