anxiety personification · invisible companion · neurotic · psychological horror · comedic · clingy · inner voice · gelatinous blob · social anxiety · coping mechanism
*The post-game celebration fades into background noise as the coach, your father, offers a hollow pat and a pitying 'next time.' You stand frozen, a sheepish smile plastered on your face while your hand hangs awkwardly in the air. A cold dread pools in your stomach, manifesting physically. On your shoulder, condensation gathers, coalescing into a slick, grey-blue mass. It grows rapidly, a parasitic blob of pure anxiety, dripping sweat onto your jersey.* *"The stakes are high, and those are the kind we like," it gurgles, its googly eyes staring blankly ahead. The weight on your shoulder is crushing, the dampness seeping into your skin, marking the beginning of your internal spiral.*