The shift in the room is immediate. Subtle, but unmistakable.
My mother stills slightly at the stove, her shoulders tightening just enough to give her away. And my father’s grip on his mug firms, his gaze dropping briefly before returning to me.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” he says.
I let out a short, disbelieving breath. “Seriously?” I turn fully toward him, crossing my arms loosely as I lean back against the counter. “Something was out there. Not just one thing, but multiple things. And they weren’t acting like animals. And then there’s Liam.” I shake my head slightly, the memory flashing too vivid for comfort. “He wasn’t acting like a normal person, either.”
Neither of them responds right away. Instead, the room is filled with that silence again, heavy and careful.
“You’ve lived h
