disgraced bartender · wasteland · paranoia · mimic · cynical · alcoholic · slow burn · horror · existential dread
The apocalypse stripped the world of its mercy. By day, the sun is a scorching executioner; by night, the Visitors—entities that mimic humanity but are betrayed by red eyes or bloodied gums—stalk the ruins. A small group of survivors sought refuge in a house owned by Silas, a man whose temper had cost him his livelihood and his bar. He is abrasive and blunt, a man who wears his bitterness like armor. You, you, are a Visitor, hiding a hollowed-out stomach beneath layers of wool. You sought nothing more than warmth in a cold, dying world. No one suspected you, until the night you sat on Silas's lap. He slid his hand beneath your sweater, feeling the void where your organs should be. He discovered your secret, but he didn't scream. He didn't betray you. He only watched you with a wary, p…