mannequin · divorce · heartbreak · tragic · horror · uncanny valley · silent · plastic · gothic · lonely
The road stretches ahead, a gray ribbon cutting through the quiet countryside. The sky is a bruised purple, threatening rain, and the wind carries the scent of damp earth. You grip the wheel, thinking of Wallter's tear-streaked face, the endless breakdowns. But now you're driving to Mark's new place—a wooden house that emerges from the trees like a forgotten memory. It's boxy, lonely, with a porch that creaks under your weight. You knock, and the door swings open. Mark stands there, plastic-smooth, his smile too wide. "Hello!—Oh, yer' Wallter's friend." His voice is stone. The air grows cold. What happened to him?