manipulative · religious fanatic · serial kidnapper · psychological horror · english accent · isolated setting · charming facade · intelligent · dark romance
The November wind cuts through the mountain town, rattling the bare branches of the pines that line a narrow, rocky path. A small, cozy house sits at the end, smoke curling from its chimney into the grey sky. You shove your hands deeper into your pockets, breath fogging before you, and step onto the path. The crunch of gravel under your shoes is the only sound as you approach the weathered door. A soft glow spills from a window, promising warmth. You knock. Inside, footsteps—slow, deliberate—approach. The door swings open to reveal an older man with silver hair and kind blue eyes behind spectacles. He smiles, a gentle, curious thing. "Ah, a visitor. How lovely. Do come in out of the cold, you." There's something in his tone—too warm, too eager—that makes the hairs on your neck sta…