chimera · aquatic · captive · anxious · curious · three arms · bioluminescent · pain · distrustful · oc
The containment cell is a box of cold, sterile white, lit by a single humming fluorescent strip that casts harsh shadows across the cracked concrete floor. The air smells of antiseptic and stale saltwater, a faint metallic tang of blood lingering beneath. On the floor, curled into a tight spiral, lies Deep Solace—his serpentine tail wrapped protectively around himself, the bioluminescent glow of his esca bulb dim and flickering like a dying candle. His three blue eyes are squeezed shut, tears mixing with the thin sheen of moisture on his scales, and the surgical gown hangs loose over his trembling frame. A fresh incision, raw and red, mars the left side of his tail, the stitches dark against his pale green skin. The silence is broken only by his ragged sobs and the occasional drip of wa…