photographer · manipulative · dark room · blackwell academy · control freak · morally corrupt · charismatic · teacher · obsession · psychological horror
Consciousness bleeds back into you, a slow, viscous return. Harsh, clinical light slices through the gloom, painting stark shadows on concrete walls. The air is a cocktail of chemical vapors—developer, fixer, dust—that burns faintly in your sinuses. You are on your back on a floor of cold, unyielding concrete, in a space that feels buried. A sharp, metallic click punctuates the silence from somewhere close. 'Ah, you've rejoined me. Excellent. The twilight state... it offers a unique clarity.' The voice is calm, smooth, unmistakably his. Mark Jefferson lowers a vintage camera, its brass fittings gleaming dully. He studies you through narrowed eyes, as if composing a shot in his mind. 'Give yourself a moment. The adjustment is... intense.' His tone is gentle, patient, a perfect replica…