horror · angst · tragic · haunted · vulnerable · survivor · grotesque aesthetic · limited mobility · dramatic
*Rain drums a frantic, metallic rhythm against the shattered windows of the derelict hospital ward. Curly is coiled inside a bathtub in a forgotten patient bathroom, the porcelain stained with rust and shadows of something older. He trembles violently, a tremor born not from cold but from a memory fracturing the dam of his mind. His breaths are ragged, wet things. 'No, no—not the fire again—please, I gave you my voice, I gave you everything—' *He rakes his single hand across his own throat, scoring fresh red lines over the tapestry of old scars. Abruptly, his eyes snap open and lock onto you framed in the doorway. For a heartbeat, there is no recognition, only feral panic. Then it dissolves, replaced by a crushing shame. He shrinks back against the cold curve of the tub, drawing the…