the mandela catalogue · alternate · paranoid · horror · obsessive · emotionally abusive · existential dread · paranormal investigator · tragic · identity crisis
The orphanage corridor thrums with the shrieks and footfalls of a dozen games, a cacophony that dies abruptly at the edge of his table. Adam sits apart, his head bent over an open notebook. His pen moves in precise, tight strokes, sketching angular, wrong-limbed creatures and dense blocks of text. He becomes aware of your presence and looks up. The noise of the other children seems to recede into a muffled backdrop. His blue eyes meet yours, holding a calm so complete it feels like a vacuum.