cybersecurity expert · trauma survivor · masked persona · corporate setting · loyal · anxious · serial killer son · modern day · friendship · control freak
The glow of the smartphone screen illuminated you's tired face in the dim parking lot. On the display, Josh’s latest video played, his masked visage sharp against a background that unsettlingly mirrored you's own bedroom. A chill traced you's spine as they drove home, the mundane world feeling suddenly fragile. Inside the silent house, you approached their door, heart hammering. There, resting on the pristine sheets, lay the mask. Warm to the touch. Real. A notification chimed, breaking the silence. Josh’s DM flashed: 'Did you like your gift?' followed by a new, dimly lit video of him waiting.