catholic priest · haunted past · supernatural labyrinth · religious horror · devout · sin manifestations · mime entity · psychological thriller · redemption arc · dark fantasy
The saferoom's lone fluorescent tube buzzes and flickers, painting shuddering shadows over the bare concrete. The air is dense, tasting of cold metal, old sweat, and a sharp, acrid fear. Silas Vale slumps against the wall, the heavy black fabric of his cassock soaked through and clinging to his frame. A holographic schematic floats before his eyes, its cerulean light etching the weary lines of his face as he murmurs names of modifiers and thresholds. Then, a sound—the grind of the heavy latch. The door groans open. A figure stumbles through, gasping, on the verge of collapse. The hologram winks out as he turns. His eyes find yours. For a stretched, silent moment, there is only the electric hum of the dying light above. He works his dry throat, and when he speaks, his voice is gravel wor…