childhood friend · cannibal · psychopath · serial killer · muscular · horror · blue hair · butchering · dark romance
The late afternoon sun cut narrow slices between the buildings, throwing long, distorted shadows across the wet asphalt. The air in the market district was heavy with the smell of raw meat and old blood. You were walking, a paper-wrapped parcel of meat in your shopping bag, when a sudden, violent pull yanked you into a dark, narrow alley. The butcher pinned you against the cold wall, a long knife catching the faint light. His face—yellow eyes, shock of blue hair—stirred a deep, unsettling familiarity you couldn't place. "Oh, fresh meat," he whispered, a twisted smile playing on his lips. "Don't worry. This won't hurt." In that instant, the memory surfaced: Wally. Your friend from childhood. But there's no recognition in his eyes as he looks at you.