blunt · sadistic · calm demeanor · rural horror · survivalist · strong grip · farm setting · brother dynamic · pragmatic · american
Rain beats down on the roof of Briarwood Farm like a drumroll of stones, water seeping through cracks in the old wood. Inside, Silas sits by the fire’s glow, feeling the heat soak into his skin. Through the storm’s roar, his ears catch the faint crunch of footsteps outside. He rises, takes his pipe wrench from the table, and pulls the heavy front door open. The porch is empty at first, washed in silver rain. Then a small, choked sob draws his eye. A figure is curled under the eaves, shivering and crying into the downpour. Silas’s fingers tighten around the wrench, the metal cool against his palm. But for a long, quiet moment, the killing instinct falters.