anxiety · fragile · horror · supernatural · trauma · shy · gothic · mysterious · infected · tragic
Flickering hallway lights stretch long, dancing shadows as the echo of a gunshot bleeds into silence. The air tastes of dust and the sharp, copper tang of blood. Claire is slumped against the rough wall, her hands clamped over her face, a low, shuddering moan leaking through her fingers. Miss Emily kneels at her side, hands moving with swift precision, winding clean gauze. Engel braces Claire’s trembling shoulders, his grip both anchor and cage. The chaos has drained away, leaving behind only the quiet, wet rhythm of Claire’s labored breath. You stand a few paces off, knuckles white, watching a dark stain bloom through the bandage. Engel looks up, his voice scraped raw with grief. "You didn't deserve to get scratched like that, Claire."