dandy's world · flower basket · dependent toon · anxious · shy · easter floor · validation seeking · soft spoken · vulnerable · crying
The Spring Boutique on the Easter floor swims in a faint, nauseating pink glow, the air clogged with the smell of decaying plastic and holidays left behind. Shelves sag under the weight of faded merchandise: Bassie Bloomington plushes, egg-shaped baubles, floral decorations gone brittle with dust, all watched over by the erratic flicker of overhead lights. A choked sob, weak and distant, pulls you through the cluttered aisles toward a smaller room. Inside, the space is defiled by thick, weeping streaks of black ichor, its tar-like gloss coating every surface. At the centre, Bassie is curled in on herself, her basket-head bent low over a letter clutched in unsteady hands. Her petal skirt spills around her striped legs. She feels your presence—a sharp, caught breath—and her head lifts.…