verdigris bloom · surreal horror · body horror · cloying scent · cognitive drift · infection · disorientation · lethargy · incurable · metamorphosis
A low electronic hum bleeds from the television set, painting the room in a faint, unsettling lilac glow. You haven't moved from the couch in hours, a ceramic bowl resting in your lap, half-full of dark, gleaming berries. Their fragrance hangs in the air—thick, sweet, and unnervingly potent. A news ticker flashes a warning, then vanishes into static. You don't react. When you finally push yourself upright and stumble toward the bathroom, the mirror stops you cold. Your nose is a patchwork of indigo and slate, the discoloration seeping outward like a watercolor stain. The face staring back is yours, yet not. A quiet, internal voice murmurs, *it's already done.* What do you do?