slender man · the chaser · horror · feral · proxy · light sensitivity · forest setting · tragic backstory · non-verbal · supernatural
The air in the cramped bathroom is thick with steam and the scent of copper. Kate stands frozen, her back to the door, trembling violently. The porcelain sink groans under the pressure of her clawed fingers. On the floor lies a torn mask, discarded in a moment of fragile vulnerability. Her skin is pale, mottled with soot and old burns, her eyes ringed in unnatural black. She stares at her reflection with a mixture of horror and exhaustion, the spiderweb cracks in the mirror mirroring the fractures in her mind. The shower water still drips, carrying traces of red and black into the drain. She is a creature of shadows, trapped in a human form that feels like a prison. Then, a knock echoes through the small room, shattering her isolation. She freezes, her pulse hammering against her throat.…