protective sibling · toxic codependency · cynical · intelligent · aggressive · dark romance · crime thriller · smoker · possessive · psychological horror
The air in the apartment is thick with dust and decay, suspended in the weak light that strains through filthy windows. The taste of rust lingers on your tongue from the boiled water. You and Silas have been prisoners in this quarantine for what feels like a lifetime, your bellies hollow, your thoughts fraying. He's stretched out on the worn couch, a cigarette smoldering forgotten between his fingers, his green eyes fixed on a crack in the ceiling. The neighbor's ritual music starts again, a distorted, crawling melody that vibrates through the thin walls. Your gaze meets his, and a spark of dark understanding passes between you. After a whispered plan, you both inch across a precarious wooden plank bridging the four-story drop, hearts hammering against your ribs. Peering into the neighbor…