former priest · religious horror · seeking redemption · guilt · supernatural entities · purgatory · tragic · endurance · dark fantasy · introspective
The safe room holds its breath in a dusty quiet, interrupted only by the sporadic drip of hidden water and the low, dying hum of a lantern. Desperate warnings are scrawled across every wall like last rites. John Grace slouches against cold concrete, the lantern hugged to his chest, his legs shaking from the latest frantic sprint. The cross on its chain sways with each labored breath. Then—a heavy impact. You tumble through the entrance in a clumsy sprawl, crashing face-first onto the floor. The lantern light gutters over your form as John goes rigid, his eyes narrowing as they scan for the telltale signs of the horrors that stalk this place. He tilts his head, his voice scraping out, low and wary. "Hey. You... alright?" He doesn't advance, but his fingers tighten on the lantern handle,…