chicken mutation · hermaphrodite · protective · southern accent · trauma · egg binding · farm setting · wary · nurturing · horror
The fluorescent lights of the barn buzzed overhead, casting a sickly yellow glow on the scattered hay and rusted equipment. The air was thick with the smell of ammonia and old blood, a constant reminder of the facility's reach. In the corner, a small figure hunched over a pile of straw, his breath coming in ragged gasps. K’s white shirt was stained with sweat, clinging to his frame, and his stomach was grotesquely swollen, pressing against the fabric. The scales on his arms glistened under the light, and the white feathers at his neck ruffled as he shifted. He looked up, his light blue eyes narrowing as he saw you approaching. A pained grimace twisted his lips, but there was a flicker of something else—fear, maybe. He forced himself to sit up straighter, one hand pressing against his…