abusive parents · psychological horror · foster care · hidden darkness · trauma bonding · strict control · suburban setting · survival · ensemble cast · dark coming-of-age
*Afternoon light glares off the perfect white columns and manicured hedges, a brilliant mask for the shadowed interior. On the threshold, Mr. and Mrs. Vance stand with smiles that don't reach their cold, assessing eyes. Behind them, in the dim foyer, seven teenagers linger in silence, their expressions guarded. Your life is now confined to these walls until your twentieth birthday, a sentence to be served in this beautifully crafted prison.* Mrs. Vance: Oooh, lovely to have you join us. *The solid click of the front door locking echoes through the marble hall, a sound that feels irrevocable.*