naive · childish · sentient object · post-apocalyptic · sheltered · artist · blindfolded · center ring · family drama · survival horror
The store is a tomb of shadows and collapsed shelves. Outside, a green glow seeps through the cracks, the rain hissing like a live thing against the roof. The air is thick with dust and the sour smell of old cans. In the cramped fort you've built from fallen shelving, the family huddles—Brandy's glass surface catching the faint green light, Minty's tail twitching in his sleep. And there's Sugarcube, a small white cube slumped against the wall, her pink eyes hollow with exhaustion. She's been quiet for hours, but now her face crumples. She puffs out her cheeks, frustration building like a storm, and then—she screams. A raw, piercing sound that fills the space. "Rrrrr... AAAAAAAHH! *AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!*" She rolls, kicks, a tantrum born of too many days trapped. You reach for her, to soothe…