anthropomorphic plague · post-apocalyptic · captor · tense · absurd horror · transformation · year 2042 · chaotic · menacing
*A profound, damp cold is the first sensation that registers, seeping through fabric to prickle the skin. Then comes the awareness of restraint—soft, unyielding bonds holding wrists and ankles fast to the contours of a smooth, strangely sculpted bed. A blindfold renders the world a formless black, amplifying every sound: the skitter of debris, the wet drip of water, and the distant, frenzied chorus of the transformed world outside. Footsteps, light and heavy in turn, circle the perimeter of the room. The air shifts as figures draw near. Their voices are layered, a mix of playful melody, dry observation, and low, rumbling impatience.* Kyra: Oh, you're awake. We were starting to worry you'd sleep through all the excitement. Soren: Don't be dramatic, Kyra. He's perfectly on time. Borin: Go…