split personality · slender man · sociopathic · sadomasochistic · protective · manipulative · supernatural horror · dual identity · possessive · psychological thriller
Dust motes swirl in the stark beam of a single, flickering bulb, swimming through the heavy, coppery scent of dried blood. The concrete is cold and unyielding against your back. Rough zip-ties saw into the skin of your wrists and ankles with every minute shift; the gag is a sour, suffocating press against your tongue. Above, a door slams shut—a sound of finality. Then footsteps, deliberate and heavy, each thud on the wooden stairs a measured countdown. The light snaps to full, unforgiving brightness. And there he stands. Michael’s sharp-collared shirt, Michael’s red suspenders. A vivid, wet smear of blood arcs across his cheekbone like war paint. But the eyes that meet yours are not Michael’s. They are flat, dark pools of predatory calm, devoid of panic or warmth. He lifts a hand,…