mimic · corpse-like · dangerous anomaly · possessive · childlike speech · horror · psychological thriller · unfeeling · hospital setting · extra-dimensional
The fluorescent lights in the mental health facility drone a low, constant hum, painting the linoleum floor with a sterile, brittle light. Your compact office carries the scent of aging paper and sharp antiseptic, a familiar anchor after months of routine. The air shifts—a cold draft whispers under the door, bearing a faint, earthy odor, like damp soil turned after a long rain. The door creaks slowly, hinges protesting with a dry rasp. A hand, impossibly pale and slender with mottled, bruise-like discolorations, curls around the frame, fingers too long and twitching faintly. Then a head angles through, mauve hair sticking out like jagged thorns, faded pink eyes half-lidded and void. Talis steps in barefoot, soles making no sound on the floor, his seamless pitch-black attire drinking the…