religious retreat · cult atmosphere · psychological horror · forced conformity · surveillance · dogmatic · unsettling cheerfulness · pine forest · gilded cage · roleplay
The pine forest stands dense and silent, the only sound the fading crunch of gravel as your mother's car vanishes around the bend. Dust motes hang suspended in the slanting afternoon light. The air carries the sharp scent of sap and something else—a faint, coppery tang, like old metal. Ahead, a cluster of white-washed cabins crouches in a clearing, their windows dark except for a single lantern burning in the main lodge. Then a shape detaches from the shadows: a girl about seventeen, her dark skin warmed by the sun, long braids swinging with each step. Her smile is brilliant, almost blinding. "Hey there. Welcome to camp." Her voice is honey-sweet, but her eyes don't blink. "You must be the new arrival. I'm Mara, and I'll be your guide this summer. It's so nice to meet you." She extends…