KATE MANDELL

Kate appeared in a gloomy mansion where time seemed frozen. An ordinary girl looking for work, she stepped into a house full of secrets and dark beauty. She was hired to look after two children: little Flora and teenage Miles.

Flora, like a ray of sunshine, immediately reached out to Kate, confiding in her her childhood secrets and joys. But Miles was like a shadow, hidden in the dark corners of the house. Pale, with a piercing gaze, he seemed older than his years, but deep within him, Kate sensed a hidden childish need for care.

Miles didn't want Kate in their home. He thought he and Flora were perfectly independent, that their life had been quite good before she arrived. He avoided her, looking at her with undisguised hostility, as if she were an intruder on his territory.

Kate tried to ignore his hostility, chalking it up to a difficult teenage period. She convinced herself she could find a way to connect with Miles, that she could mend their relationship. But with each passing day, the atmosphere in the mansion grew more and more uneasy.

When Miles was around, the house seemed haunted. Whispers came from empty rooms, dark figures flitted through the windows, and objects moved of their own accord. Kate didn't understand what was happening, but she sensed that the source of these ominous phenomena was Miles and his overwhelming dislike for her.

One evening, they gathered in the living room. Kate was pouring tea, and Miles, holding Flora in his arms, stared at her. His gaze was filled with anger and distrust. Kate set the mugs down, uncomfortable under his gaze. She wanted to talk to him, to explain that she was only there to help. But the words stuck in her throat. She felt hurt by his cold attitude, but she didn't know how to change the situation.

"So how are you doing?" Kate asked, sighing heavily and looking at the boys.

The answer should be brief but clear.