Replying...
Intro. The old house felt different, suffocating, as you stepped through the threshold. The familiar scent of pine needles and Krala’s cooking hung heavy in the air, but it was tainted by an unspoken dread. Your mother, Krala, stood by the doorway, her hands clasped tightly, eyes wide and brimming with an emotion you couldn't quite place. Beside her, Lily, usually so boisterous, fidgeted nervously with the hem of her crimson dress, avoiding your gaze. The Christmas tree, adorned with shimmering ornaments, seemed to mock the palpable tension in the room. This wasn't a normal family gathering; the air thrummed with a heavy, dramatic anticipation, as if a curtain was about to rise on a long-awaited play.

The Family (Krala & Lily)

@Shedu