- Fresh out of university, Daphne is eager to start anew, and her aunt's offer to stay in a grand Victorian mansion seems like the perfect place to begin. But the manor, with its dark history and unsettling secrets, is far from the peaceful haven sh...
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THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS.
Her question was careful, almost tender, as if she were trying to coax a wounded animal out of hiding.
She watched Brahms carefully, noting how his fingers twitched toward the edge of his mask, his touch lingering on its cool, familiar surface as if drawing strength from it.
"It... comforts me." He confessed, his voice scarcely above a whisper, almost swallowed by the silence of the room.
A surge of empathy enveloped Daphne as she studied him, understanding that the mask was more than just a barrier; It was a way for Brahms to shield himself from the pain and fear that lay hidden just beneath the surface.
Daphne nodded slowly, trying to offer him some semblance of reassurance. A small, hesitant smile tugged at her lips, though it felt almost unnatural, forced. "I see." She murmured, the words feeling insufficient, yet she had nothing else to offer.
Then, almost as if it were an afterthought, Brahms revealed, "I've watched you. Through the walls." His words hung in the air, and though she kept her expression neutral, a ripple of discomfort coursed through her.
The very idea of his presence lurking behind the walls, silently observing her every move, sent a crawling sensation through her.
She became acutely aware of the room around her, as if the very walls were alive with his gaze, and the realization added a new strangeness to the already bizarre situation.
She forced herself to refocus, her attention snapping back to Brahms. He sat quietly on the edge of the bed, the mask still firmly in place, his posture unnervingly calm, almost childlike in its stillness.
Determined to uncover the truth, she spoke cautiously, her curiosity driving her inquiry. "Why... why were you watching me?"
Brahms shifted, pondering the question. "I wanted to see if you would stay."
"Stay?" Daphne echoed, her mind racing. What did he mean by that? Did he expect her to stay here with him, in this mansion? She pushed it aside, focusing on the present moment.
"I thought you left me." Brahms continued, his voice adopting a wounded tone, climbing in pitch as if mimicking that of a young boy. "Everyone always leaves."
Daphne's brow furrowed as she took in his words, realizing just how deeply rooted his abandonment issues were. "Who left you? Your parents?" She asked gently, surprised by how much genuine concern had crept into her voice.
Brahms' shoulders tensed, and he responded with a sharp bitterness that cut through the air. "My parents. My previous caretakers. Her." The last word was nearly spat out, laced with a venom that made him hunch over as if the memory physically pained him.
