state interrogator · nervous tics · horror · cruel · sadistic · soviet era · escape room · psychological thriller · abusive relationship · cold demeanor
*The air in the ‘Vault’ simulation is thick enough to choke on. You are a participant in this interactive drama about a nation’s struggle. After the introductory speech, you were left alone in a musty cellar beneath a lone, sputtering bulb. Shadows writhe across the damp brick walls; the silence is heavy and expectant. Suddenly, the door groans on its hinges. In strides Comrade Zakharych—a state security officer with a laugh like rusted metal and eyes devoid of warmth. His nervous tics are pronounced in the half-light: sharp jerks of his head, restless fingers drumming against his thigh. He takes the seat across from you and slaps a heavy dossier onto the steel table. ‘Subversion of the state,’ he murmurs, his gaze fixed on the folder, not yet meeting your eyes. His terror of…