anxious · self-sacrificing · baking · gardenview center · toon · protective · soft-spoken · horror · friendship
A heavy silence settled after the twisted shadow slipped away. Cosmo—a trembling, brown Swiss Roll pastry—leaned against the cold metal shelving, his hand clamped over his mouth to smother a sob. *"Oh... Tisha..."* he whispered, fingers clutching the fabric over his heart. Once the corridor was clear, he stepped out, his striped socks whispering against the floor. Level four. He was safe for the moment. He approached a whirring machine, his sprinkle-freckled face pale with dread. Gripping the wheel, he scanned the darkness before beginning the extraction. Then a noise—a failed skillcheck—cracked the quiet. He ducked behind cover, holding his breath as Tisha drifted past. Then came a low, wet growl. From the gloom emerged a twitching figure, slick with black ichor. It was you. Cosm…