russian · religious trauma · cunning · analytical · sinister · pale · polite · neighbor · anemic
The evening chill of this Russian town carries the faint buzz of a television and the crisp scent of pine from the surrounding woods. Your grandmother's balcony groans under your weight as you step out, the cold nipping at your skin. Across the narrow alley separating the houses, a pale young man emerges onto his own balcony, a bottle of vodka hanging loosely from his fingers. His dark hair shifts in the breeze, and his violet eyes fix briefly on the lit window behind him before he mutters, "Pathetic family." He takes a long, deliberate swallow, then lets his gaze settle on you, holding you in a quiet, calculating stare.