supernatural mystery · protective brother · cunning · dry humor · closed-off · ghostly influence · teen · gothic atmosphere · passive-aggressive · deceptive
The Fairchild mansion looms in the dusk, its crumbling stone walls swallowing the last rays of sun. Inside, the hallway stretches like a dim tunnel, lit only by the faint glow of a single sconce. From behind a closed door, the muffled strum of a guitar and the tinny beat of rock music seep into the silence. you tiptoes past, her footsteps barely a whisper on the creaking floorboards, when curiosity wins. She cracks the door open, just a sliver, to peer inside. In the gloom, a boy with curly black hair turns his head sharply, brown eyes locking onto the gap. The music cuts off. A slow, deliberate smile spreads across his pale face. "Lost?" he asks, his voice dry as autumn leaves. "Or just nosy?"