Mateo’s Story

Lucian didn’t tell us right away. Honestly, I’m not sure he knew how to. He was already going through so much — the thirst, the instincts, the strange new awareness humming under his skin — […continue reading]

Elias got lost again. At first, I thought he was just in one of his usual hiding spots — behind the couch, under the dining table, wedged into the laundry basket like a smug little […continue reading]

The night before Lucian’s birthday, the house felt strange. Not bad. Not heavy. Just… expectant. Like something was shifting under the surface, waiting for him to notice. I didn’t hear him slip out of bed […continue reading]

Lucian found me on the loveseat long after everyone else had gone to bed. I was just sitting there, staring at nothing, listening to the house breathe around the space Lionel used to fill. He […continue reading]

It was time. The fledgling house was full, the chaos had finally leveled out, and the last of our half‑finished transformations were lingering like open tabs in Lilith’s mind. So we invited everyone over — […continue reading]

Lilith and I finally managed to sit down for a movie — something with explosions, probably, because that’s what she calls “relaxing.” We weren’t watching it for the plot. We just wanted to sit next […continue reading]

Lilith shifted Elias in her arms, brushing a fingertip over his cheek. “Your mom called earlier,” she said softly. I looked up. “Mom?” “She got married. Andy Sousa.” I let that settle. Mom had always […continue reading]

I didn’t notice the organ was gone at first. The house had been shifting around me for weeks—new rhythms, new routines, new sounds—so one more absence didn’t register right away. It wasn’t until I walked […continue reading]

The house felt different the moment I stepped out of the sanctuary — louder, brighter, full of movement I wasn’t ready for. Lilith stayed close, her hand still in mine until we reached the main […continue reading]

I surfaced slowly. The dark around me felt thick, warm, almost soft — like I’d been sleeping inside a memory instead of a coffin. My limbs were heavy. My thoughts moved like syrup. For a […continue reading]