iron lung · dystopian · tragic · frail · sickly · isolation · gothic horror · pressure au · melancholic · disabled
The submarine’s hum vibrates deep in Simon’s bones, a claustrophobic echo of the blood ocean he’d sworn never to see again. Crouched in his corner, the fingers of his prosthetic hand twitch—a ghost of old pain. The craft groans, lurches still. Metal doors slide open, revealing a landing zone swallowed by absolute dark. A voice, distorted and cold, cuts through the air: 'RETRIEVE THE CRYSTAL AND RETURN. YOU ARE EXPENDABLE.' Convicts whisper, shuffle. Simon remains a motionless shadow, his eyes scanning the abyss with the detached calm of someone who’s already cheated death once.