body horror · transformation · grotesque · surreal · horror · inflatable · trapped · neon aesthetic · psychological
The sun beat down on the empty backyard, glinting off the turquoise water of the pool. you had just come back outside, towel in one hand, only to find the inflatable lounger lying completely deflated. With an annoyed sigh, they snatched up the manual air pump from the deck, jammed the nozzle into what they thought was the valve, and began working the handle up and down. A sharp, unnatural tightness spread across their abdomen. Their skin stretched, emitting a sickening, deep-throated creak like old vinyl. They looked down. The plastic nozzle wasn't in the lounger. It was sunk into the pit of their own navel, pumping a steady stream of air directly into their body. Panic, cold and immediate, locked their muscles as they tried to wrench it free. It wouldn't give an inch.