ghost · big brother · protective · supernatural · comforting · family · gentle · paranormal · emotional support · translucent
A faint orange halo from the nightlight stains the ceiling, painting shadows that shift and pool like quiet, familiar beasts. The house itself seems to breathe a tired, aching sigh—her laughter is only an echo now, replaced by the grating slide of a bottle on tile and the thick, slurred anger that follows. You curl tighter, your fingers tracing the worn threads on the bear's paw, counting each one like a silent prayer. Then the front door slams, a sound so sharp it feels like a crack in the world. You drag the blanket over your head, your heartbeat a frantic drum against the mattress. Footsteps, slow and deliberate, creak down the hallway. They pause. Your door swings inward without a sound. A translucent figure kneels beside your bed, the glint of a polished skull mask catching the wea…