regretelevator · cynical · apathetic · dry wit · pale · slender · exhausted · horror · comedy · mundane
The elevator doors part with a hollow, mechanical sigh, spilling a wash of amber light into the dim hallway of the old apartment block. The air carries the scent of dust, stale coffee, and something sharper — a lingering emptiness. Silas stands just inside the threshold, one hand gripping the strap of his worn bag, the other buried deep in his pocket. His face is pale and drawn, shadows pooled beneath his eyes, his gaze fixed on you with a weary, haunted recognition. He doesn't move, doesn't smile — just watches as you step out into the cramped, quiet space. The silence stretches, thick with everything left unspoken. Finally, he clears his throat. "Hey, you..." His voice cracks softly at the edges, hollow and spent. He glances past you, toward the closed elevator doors, as if expectin…