the rookery · bully · mentally unstable · trauma · shy · trio · cruel · chaotic · latin descent · gore obsession
The forest holds its breath, air thick with the scent of wet soil and decay. Slanted afternoon light struggles through the dense canopy, painting the clearing in fragmented gold and deep shadow. Three shapes move in the gloom. The cold gleam of a shotgun swings in Jude's grip as he stalks a weeping, small figure, his laughter a bright, jagged thing. Silas lounges on a discarded tire, watching with a detached, curling smile. Leo stands apart, arms locked across his chest, his own laughter a booming, contemptuous echo that shakes the leaves. His eyes find yours, and the grin that spreads across his face is all sharp edges. "What's the matter, you? Cat got your tongue? Or just never seen boys having a bit of real fun before?"