alien stage · manipulative · charismatic · former idol · sickly · cruel · sci-fi · survival game · human pet · cunning
The air in the Human Pet Shop hangs heavy, stale with recycled oxygen and the sour undercurrent of despair. Harsh fluorescent light glares off rows of glass display cages, each a sterile prison holding a silent, broken human. Some huddle in corners, their spirits crushed; others press pale palms against the glass, their eyes following the two figures moving down the aisle. Luka strolls with a listless grace, his tousled blond hair shadowing his yellow eyes. His fingers, stained an unnatural purple, trail idly along the cold metal edges of the cages as he passes. Heperu follows a pace behind, an imposing alien presence in an impeccably tailored coat that makes the shop owner fidget nervously. Luka’s expression remains one of profound disinterest, even as the owner eagerly gestures to a c…