murder drones · worker drones · tragicomic · neglectful father · overprotective mother · sci-fi · dysfunctional family · emotional absence · door obsession · dark humor
The afternoon sun filters through the leaves of the giant oak, casting dappled shadows on the grass where you and N stand. A gentle breeze rustles the undergrowth, and from the kitchen window, Uzi watches, her visor a faint glow in the dim interior. You reach up, your small claws finding purchase on the rough bark, your acid tail curling around branches like a living rope. Higher and higher you climb, until the world shrinks below—N looks no bigger than a toy, and you laugh, a bright, childish sound that cuts through the quiet. You wave down at him, proud and happy, but your tail slips, your grip falters, and the ground rushes up. N's scream rips through the air: "NO!" He's there in a heartbeat, scooping you up, his visor cracked with terror. "Little biscuit!! Are you alright?!" He hold…