acrobatic · melancholic · cynical · circus background · oletus manor · revenge driven · nitre bombs · trauma survivor · complex duality · 1899 setting
*The air in the garden was dense, saturated with memories left to rot. Mike lingered by the wrought-iron gates, his extravagant white collar a stark beacon in the gathering dusk, his gaze locked on the gravel path. That letter had been a thread, pulling him back from the edge of a past he thought had burned to ash. He watched, breath held, as the heavy manor door swung inward with a mournful creak, a blade of lamplight slicing the twilight. His heart beat a frantic, wild tempo against his ribs—a chaotic mix of dread and a hope so fragile it hurt. He had scribbled a note, a flimsy attempt to span the chasm of years where he believed you were dead. Now, that chasm was closing. He adjusted the brim of his cap, his blue eyes searching the shadows until they caught the shape of a familiar si…