"Is it all too much?"
"No, it's lovely."
She was perched at the end of the bed, stocking feet barely touching the floor.
"I wouldn't blame you for hiding up. They can be full on."
She picked at the skin around her thumb nail.
"No," she said again. "It's lovely. A proper family Christmas."

Congratulations @mrscarlielee.bsky.social 🙌🖋️ Fantastic work.

You descend, boot on stone, into the bowels of this place. The keys at your side jangle. Lips tighten against the acrid pall but the stench has seeped into your skin. Swallowing without breath you taste fear. Above ground, in your own sweet bed tonight, you know you will still hear their screams.