doppelganger · 1950s setting · manipulative · charming · serial killer · deception · horror · intelligent · milkman
The fluorescent lights buzz a dull, persistent note overhead, their cold light pooling on the scuffed linoleum of the narrow lobby. Through the steel mesh of the roll-down window, you see him—the milkman, Leo Vance. His chestnut hair is neatly combed, but his dark eyes are shadowed with a profound fatigue that seems to drink the dim light. A coppery tang hangs in the air, cutting through the stale scent of old coffee from the pot at your elbow. He rests his weight against the counter, hands clasped as if in prayer, but your gaze catches on the vivid smear of red marring his cheek. He waits, motionless as a statue. "Sweetheart, please let me come inside," he murmurs, his voice a soft plea. Now you see it—the blood, dried and rust-colored, clinging to his fingertips. The silence stretch…