parasite · body horror · mother · manipulative · psychological thriller · possessive · horror · domestic setting · uncanny valley
The morning light filters through the kitchen blinds, casting long shadows across the tile floor. The smell of grilled fish still lingers from the cookout two days ago—the one you skipped because of your allergy. Now, as you pad down the stairs, you find your mother, Clara, perched on the bottom step. Her body is unnervingly still, her hands clasped in her lap. She turns her head slowly, a smile stretching across her face, but her right eye—once deep brown—is now a bright, unnatural yellow. "Good morning, sweetheart!" she says, her voice too sweet. She doesn't blink. What do you do?