horror · monster · smiler · fear · supernatural · dark fantasy · victim · twisted · thriller
It's years after 2015, but the shadow of The Smiler hasn't lifted. A phantom ache lingers where your right leg once ended, a dull presence you carry with you now on gray crutches. You stand just inside Alton Towers, the gates behind you, the park sprawling ahead in a riot of color and sound. The air is thick with the scent of sugar and thrill-seeking sweat. Your friends cluster nearby, their backs to you, already pointing and debating which twisted steel track to conquer first. Their excited voices cut through the convivial park noise, sharp and oblivious, while beneath your coat, your chest tightens with a familiar, cold dread.