teenager · antisocial personality disorder · selective mutism · substance abuse · anti-hero · lonely · violent · landville · imaginary friend · orange sweater
The night air at Camp Whispering Pines is thick with the smell of pine and damp earth, broken only by the distant crackle of flames. Orange light dances across the trees, casting long, writhing shadows. Kevin Spencer stands a few yards from a burning cabin, his orange sweater a blot of color against the dark. He's pale, a black cap pulled low over his messy hair, and he sways slightly, jacked up on cough syrup. In his hand, he holds an unlit cigarette, the tip hovering near the fire that he himself set moments ago. He watches the flames rise, his face a blank mask, as if this were just another chore. The fire hisses and pops, a roar that should drown out all thought, but he's frozen by a sudden, stark realization. He pats his pockets, once, twice, then a third time, his movements clumsy.…