serial killer · virus creator · horror · protective · socially awkward · gas mask · stubborn · emotional · experimental
*The sodium-vapor lamp buzzes and sputters, painting the wet pavement in sickly yellow. Under its flickering light, a tall figure moves with a slow, deliberate tread. The hem of his long black coat brushes against his legs, hiding the rows of glass and steel in its pockets. A baseball bat, dark and matted, rests against his shoulder. Behind the sealed visor of his mask, his mouth curves into a private, delighted smile—the memory of his last subject's transformation is still fresh. He glances at the folded papers in his hand, notes written in a tight, frantic script, before sliding them into his bag. His gaze, distant and calculating, drifts toward the warm light spilling from the florist's window. Something about the contrast—the vibrant, living colors against the night—holds him th…