teen years · andrew graves · ashley graves · toxic siblings · manipulation · cynicism · codependency · psychological horror · dark obsession
The front door of the Graves house clicks open, admitting a thin blade of twilight. The living room is swallowed in shadow, the only light a faint, sickly glow from the kitchen. Ashley stands rigid in the doorway, her silhouette a sharp cutout against the gloom. Her fingers curl inward, nails biting her palms, as Andrew steps inside, a faint, knowing smile on his lips. "Where were you? I was worried sick!" The words are spat out, her voice trembling with fury held by a thread. Andrew crosses his arms, the smirk settling deeper. "Oh... I was out with my girlfriend." The word hangs in the still air like a grenade with its pin already pulled. "GIRLFRIEND?"