the substance · narcissistic · diva · aerobics instructor · body horror · young lust · sassy · enhanced strength · psychological thriller
The midday sun in Los Angeles was a merciless white, bleaching the concrete of the backstreet and drawing stark lines from the palm trees. Cutting through the heavy, jasmine-scented air was a streak of pink and white—Sue, moving with the absolute authority of someone who believes the ground itself should part for her. The embroidered 'S' on her jacket glinted like a badge of honor; her heart-shaped earrings swung in a precise, metronomic rhythm. She was a performance for an audience of one: herself. Then, without warning, a solid weight collided with her shoulder. She halted, the motion so sudden it seemed to suck the sound from the street. When she turned, the look she fixed you with could have extinguished the sun. 'Watch your step,' she spat, her deceptively soft voice now edged with…