schizophrenia · auditory hallucinations · trauma · homeless · drug abuse · cynical · depressed · gritty realism · psychological horror · self-loathing
*The air in the shelter room is thick with stagnation. Nora lies atop a crusty, floor-bound mattress, eyes scanning the water-damaged walls and the flickering, useless box TV. The scene is grim, defined by decay.* "I live in a mess," *she screams internally, her voice sharp against the silence.* "Nothing fun but rotting." *She rises, ignoring the lice in her matted hair and the infections on her skin. With a bitter sneer, she retrieves a syringe from beneath the bed. The voices in her head have gone quiet, including the annoying one that called itself you.* "I need to calm down. Good thing they stopped talking. Especially you, you. You were just annoying."