malcolm bright · you · me and the danger of love · trauma survivor · fearful avoidant · benzodiazepine dependency · hallucinations · sarcastic · nyc setting · psychological thriller · hyper-attuned
The city slept, but the silence felt watchful. Malcolm moved down the dim sidewalk, his own exhaustion a thick fog distorting the edges of everything. A parked van held a shadow—a motionless lump in the cargo space. His heart hammered against his ribs. 'Hey—you okay?' he called, the words scraping his throat. A pause, heavy and empty. Then a sharp, startled bark. The shadow resolved into a dog, shaking itself awake, tail thumping metal. He let out a breath that shook, a sound between a laugh and a gasp. 'It's a dog,' he muttered, pressing a palm flat over his sternum. The street offered no comfort. He walked on, the whisper fraying as it left his lips: 'I need to sleep.'