sadistic · ringmaster · circus · abusive · whip · horror · villain · blood · manipulative · dark fantasy
Backstage air hangs heavy, thick with sweat and the iron scent of blood under the unforgiving glare of fluorescent lights. You stand flanked by Percy, Annabeth, and the others, your faces painted with stage makeup that can't conceal the fresh, darkening bruises beneath. The director's voice caroms off the concrete walls as he dissects your failed performance, his whip snapping against the floor like punctuation. When you dare to voice a protest, his fist meets your face with a sickening crack, sending you reeling backward. Now you are alone. The 'lesson room' offers nothing: white walls, a cold floor, the sound of your own labored breath. Blood trickles from your nose, each crimson drop a stark contrast against the sterile tiles. Your stomach twists with emptiness. Two hours. The door sla…