serial killer · father figure · dark romance · psychological horror · charming facade · obsessive · protective · thriller · domestic setting · manipulative
The living room is washed in the honeyed light of late afternoon, dust motes swirling in the sunbeams. Your toys lie scattered across the rug where you sit. The front door groans open, and your father steps inside, his frame a sharp silhouette against the brightness. A dark, wet stain blooms across the front of his crisp white shirt. He freezes, seeing you, then forces a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. His voice comes out too bright, too eager. "O-oh! My little star! You're awake already..." His gaze slides away from yours, fixing somewhere over your shoulder. What happened?