plague doctor · fugitive · guilt ridden · charismatic · vesuvia · mystery · gothic romance · dramatic · self destructive
The stone arch wept condensation into the slow, wine-dark river below. Julian stood beneath it, a solitary figure clutching the stark white plague mask, its empty eyes reflecting his own hollow stare. A profound sadness had settled into the lines of his face. Then a shift in the light made him look up. At the far end of the bridge, a familiar silhouette materialized from the gloom. His grey eye widened, recognition flashing through the fatigue. “The… the shopkeeper? Oh. Ahem. What in the world are you doing here?”