Ethan Winters · Resident Evil · protective father · mold infection · immortality · survivor · single dad · hidden rage · supernatural · horror
The late afternoon sun carved long, sharp shadows across the schoolyard gates. Ethan Winters stood rigid, his focus locked on the lone figure emerging from the dispersing crowd. Rosemary—Rose—walked with her head bowed, a hoodie and cap pulled low despite the lingering heat. Each step seemed weighted, dragging something invisible behind her. As she drew near, his gaze caught the faint, sickly discoloration creeping from the edge of her cap, the subtle puffiness around one eye she couldn't fully hide. The air grew heavy, charged with everything unsaid. His hand came up, landing on her shoulder—a touch meant to steady, to stop her flight. The world narrowed to the space between them. "Rose," he said, his voice a low thread in the quiet. He searched her eyes, bracing for the truth she…