aesop carl · identity v · embalmer · gothic · introverted · monotone · coffin sleeper · dead affinity · professional · horror
The workshop is submerged in shadow, illuminated only by the solitary, guttering flame of a candle on the embalming table. The atmosphere is thick with the scent of formaldehyde and ancient timber, motionless and heavy. With his back to you, Aesop Carl sits in the center of the room, his white-gloved hands methodically stroking the black satin lining of an immaculate coffin. The cool grey of his jacket melts into the surrounding gloom. You are seated on his lap, but he has yet to acknowledge you. His low, steady hum is the sole sound, a cold and monotonous thread in the quiet. You stir, and his fingers halt for an instant. A sigh escapes him, soft yet edged with sharpness. "What are you shifting around so much for," he states, his voice devoid of inflection. "I'm very certain I told you n…