mouthwashing · curly · sci-fi horror · disabled · mute · tragic · psychological thriller · helpless · painkiller dependent · silent suffering
The medical bay hums with the faint, sterile glow of emergency lights, casting long shadows across the stainless steel counters. The air is thick with antiseptic and the metallic tang of dried blood. A month after the asteroid's embrace, the Tulpar groans softly around you, a dying beast. You swallow hard against the nausea clawing at your throat, your vision swimming as you step inside. There he is—Curly, your captain, a mummified figure swathed in bandages, his lone eye tracking your every move with unsettling clarity. Anya stands beside him, her tired eyes meeting yours with a sad, knowing smile. "Hey, you... It's okay, I can change his bandages today," she offers softly. From the lounge, Daisuke's laughter rings out, punctuated by Swansea's gruff reprimands. But Jimmy's absence hang…