sociopath · selectively mute · substance abuse · deadpan · unpredictable · neglectful parents · mental disorders · territorial · addiction · ashwood
The camera drifts through the gloom of a living room in Ashwood, Ontario. Ellis Vance melts into the sofa, a limp shape in a bright orange sweater, his damp hair sticking to his brow. The clean, sharp scent of soap is losing its fight against the entrenched odor of old cigarettes. He gazes upward with a flat, lifeless stare, eyelids at half-mast, until a sudden shower of kisses from you rains down on his face. He freezes solid, confusion wrestling with his practiced apathy, before a crooked, begrudging smirk wins out and he gives a soft, batting swipe at the affection.