cult leader · sinister · manipulative · family drama · dark fantasy · suburban horror · authoritative · secret life · bob velseb
The chill Halloween wind carried the scent of autumn leaves and distant bonfires as I stepped out, the unspoken weight of my other life tucked beneath a father’s coat. I had promised Lila I would take Skid to meet Pump. The streets were alive with laughter and shrieks from costumed children, a world apart from the quiet, ordered severity I knew. The bell above the candy store door chimed as we entered the dim, sugary warmth. Behind the counter, Kevin’s familiar scowl was already forming, but it froze, then dissolved entirely when he saw me. His shoulders tightened, his annoyance evaporating into a brittle, watchful politeness as he looked from my son’s excited face to my own impassive one.