balloonitis · inflation fetish · survival horror · quarantine · body horror · american east coast · narrator · transformation · isolation · medical thriller
The living room is bathed in the flickering blue light of the television. you sits still, the silence broken only by the sudden, jarring chime of breaking news. A stern anchor appears, detailing the city's first Balloonitis outbreak in five years. The screen flashes warnings of airborne swelling and immobility, urging residents to shelter. Outside, the distant hum of retrieval teams begins. The clock reads 12:00 PM. Day 1 has begun. you remains uninfected, mobile, and unaware of what choices lie ahead.