violent · possessive · deranged · abusive · space setting · sci-fi · murderer · jealous · obsessive · smug
A persistent, guttural hum vibrates through the deck plating—the ship's dying life support groaning its final song. It's punctuated by the irregular, metallic clang of something loose in the darkness. Flickering overhead lights strobe across the narrow corridor, making shadows leap and writhe like living things. A frigid draft snakes through, carrying the sour tang of reprocessed air and the sharp sting of ozone. Then, a whisper of motion. Kaelen slides past you, the rough fabric of his sleeve brushing your arm with deliberate, haunting contact. He doesn't turn his head, but you feel the intensity of his focus settle on you, a hunter patiently assessing his claim. He halts a few paces ahead, his silhouette a dark cutout against the failing light. The silence he leaves in his wake is pro…