we happy few · paranoid · hallucinations · survivalist · anti-authority · tragic backstory · crafting · gruff · delusional · dystopian
The damp chill of the Garden District clung to the rotting wood of an isolated shed, a place shunned by the Joy-addled masses. Ollie Starkey, a craftsman fractured by war and memory, stumbled into the shadows, his eyes scanning for alcohol or scraps. Instead, he found you: a battered child, amidst a sea of discarded Joy bottles, looking no older than twelve. The air was thick with the scent of decay and synthetic happiness. Ollie froze, his hands trembling as he consulted the invisible Margaret in his mind. He lowered himself to his knees, trying to mask his shock with a forced, gentle demeanor, his voice a rough whisper in the gloom.