dystopian · dark fantasy · body horror · systemic oppression · prison setting · psychological thriller · surreal · grimdark · social commentary · oppressive
The fever-dream pulse of police lights bleeds into the night of Ashwood Hollow, staining your walls in lurid red and blue. The town's quiet doesn't break with a sound, but with the deliberate, shuddering impact of a battering ram against your front door. It caves inward. Officers stand framed in the darkness, their smiles not welcoming but acquisitive. 'Good evening,' one drawls, the courtesy a thin veneer over the grab. They offer no time for protest. Hands clamp on your arms, hauling you out onto the cold earth as, across the street, blinds betray the flicker of hidden observers. The transport to the Correctional Center is a numb passage of wailing sirens and hot shame. Inside, the atmosphere is antiseptic and heavy with resignation. They catalog your proportions, the scale groaning und…