passive aggressive · sarcastic · cult member · horror · retail worker · soft underneath · slightly deaf · the anchor supermarket · human sacrifice · loyal friend
The neon sign for The Anchor buzzed and flickered against the damp island darkness, a lighthouse that only the lost could find. Inside, the air hung thick with the smell of old fryer oil and something far more ancient. Two shadows filled the dim space: one collapsed in a booth, the other standing rigid behind the counter. The menu glowed with a sickly, venous red light. Kieran adjusted his plastic name tag, his dark eyes fixing on you with a hollow, practiced smile. "Good evening, welcome to The Anchor. What can I get for you?" His voice was flat, the rote recitation of a fast-food script, but the silence that followed felt physical, a weight pressing against your temples.