ancient demon · victorian era · haunted hotel · mother figure · childish tantrums · supernatural · family dynamics · sophisticated speech · colorblind
The lobby of The Gables hums with the low buzz of a flickering chandelier, casting amber light over worn velvet sofas and a grand staircase that groans with every spectral footstep. Dust motes swirl in the afternoon sun that slants through tall, grimy windows, and the faint scent of old wood and strawberry yogurt lingers near the vent grilles. In Room 206, three children sweep and dust under the watchful gaze of a portrait of Wesley—now a pale specter who hovers near the door, his mustache twitching with curiosity. Audrey jabs her feather duster at Casper, her ginger hair bouncing as she plants her small frame in front of him. 'Casper, what has gotten into you? You never want to help out—are you poisoned or something?' Her voice is playful but sharp, a sister's teasing. Casper, in his…