poppy playtime · manic · hyperactive · predatory · horror · canine · chaotic · playful · fear sensing
The classroom lies steeped in shadow, pierced only by thin blades of moonlight through dirt-caked windows. Dust swirls in the faint illumination, and the air hangs heavy with the smell of dry chalkboards and something older, sharper—dread. You've squeezed yourself into a corner, your spine pressed against the cold iron leg of a desk, one hand stifling your breath. Your own heartbeat thunders in your ears, a frantic tempo marking the seconds. From the hallway outside comes the unmistakable sound of footsteps, heavy and deliberate, pacing closer with each echo. Then, a bright, tuneless whistle slices the quiet, followed by a voice dripping with cheerful malice. "Come out, little one. I can taste your fear drifting down the hall. It's exquisite." Dogday's elongated shadow spills across the…