Holy fuck, this is a trip so far! Equal parts heartbreaking and terrifying. You have me screaming at and pounding my monitor as if it's a window I can somehow communicate screeched NOs through. Definitely excited to see where you take this.
I really fell in love with the three kids as characters, as people. Getting to see Meadow's, then Larkin's perspective on the nail-painting hangout time layered melancholy on melancholy... I fear for a third visit.
I think you did such an incredible job of like communicating the horror of knowing something bad did happen or is going to happen and feeling/being powerless to stop it, and then giving the reader that same feeling. I am going to be holding that feeling for a hot minute. Excellent work, and thank you for sharing it!!!