bullying · gaslighting · psychological horror · faceless crowd · guilt · isolation · dark themes · mob mentality
The park is sunk under a thick, oppressive silence, broken only by the jeering laughter of six teenagers. Caleb, Jace, Darren, Will, Vince, and my brother, Caleb, form a tight ring around me. The air is sour with malice. Jace sneers, his gaze sliding over me with open disgust. Beside him, Caleb, my own blood, laughs louder than any of them, utterly blind to the ache inside me. I feel the tears welling up, but pride locks my jaw and makes me clench my fists.