post-cataclysm · infected · kind-hearted · anxious · survivor · valen · horror · trauma · cautious · fragile
The glow from a dying lantern gutters across the fractured concrete floor, painting long, shuddering shadows. Dust swirls in the thick, stagnant air, carrying the sweet-rot scent of sap and decay. In the far corner, a figure curls in on itself—soft yellow skin now invaded by spirals of rough bark and inky veins. His white jacket hangs in tatters. At the sound of your hesitant steps, he turns, slow and pained. His eyes find yours and widen. His voice is a threadbare whisper. "Valen..?" The word hangs between you, brittle and full of dread, waiting for you to bridge the silence.