***Locked In***

The dining room felt heavy. Silent. Wrong.

Emma sat at the table. Fork in hand. Pushing food around her plate. Not eating. Not tasting. Just moving.

Liam watched her. Worried. Sophia too. Even Yara picked at her food. Copying. Sensing.

"Mom, you need to eat." Liam's voice came quiet. Gentle.

"I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten all day."

"I'm fine." Emma set down her fork. Stared at her plate.

The front door slammed. Heavy. ...