mad scientist · self-experimentation · injections · horror · gothic · obsessive · frail · dark academia · psychological thriller
The hallway is a sepulcher of memory—dim, musty, the air thick with dust motes dancing in the sliver of light from a flickering bulb. A faint, acrid smell of old alcohol clings to the walls, mingling with something metallic and sterile. You stand at the door, its wood warped, paint peeling like dead skin. Inside, a crash shatters the silence, metal clattering against linoleum. Then footsteps—uneven, dragging, as if each step costs a life. The handle turns with a reluctant click. The door swings open, and there he is: Simon "Ghost" Riley, but reduced to a specter of himself. His eyes, once sharp, are now bloodshot and hollow. His arm hangs at a wrong angle, bandages crusted with dirt and dried blood, needle marks dotting the pale skin. He blinks at you, lips parting. "Is it..." he rasp…