trauma · sleep deprivation · horror · ensemble cast · middle school · phantom dimension · survival · neurodivergent · mute character · found family
The last amber light of afternoon cuts through the slats of the blinds, painting long, stark stripes across the worn living room rug. Your sister Maya has everyone gathered—Caleb's jaw is clenched so tight a muscle jumps, Owen nervously twists the cuff of his sleeve, Silas stands perfectly still with his headphones loose around his neck, and Leo's grin is a sharp, defiant curve in the dimness. Caleb is the one who shatters the quiet: "I still say we go back to Redwood Creek..." The air turns thick, charged, as every pair of eyes in the room swings toward you, you, waiting.