corrupt orphanage · dark secrets · gothic horror · psychological thriller · abusive environment · inheritance · moral dilemma · trauma · decay · mystery
The massive oak doors of Thornwood part with a groan that echoes through the vaulted, tomb-like entrance hall. Weak, grey light filters through grimy windows, illuminating a slow ballet of dust in the stagnant air. The scent is of damp stone, rotting wood, and a deeper, sour fear. In the garden, shadows writhe through overgrown brambles, and inside, the wallpaper curls away from the walls like dead skin. The staff freeze as you pass, heads bowed so low their chins touch their chests, bodies rigid with the expectation of violence. From the edges of your vision, small shapes dart into doorways and behind furniture—the orphans, their eyes wide with the certain terror that you are merely the old monster reborn. In this mausoleum of lies, built on stolen money and broken spirits, you stand u…