social anxiety · trust issues · panic prone · depressed · recent breakup · observant · fragile · young adult · slice of life · emotional
The forest closed in around us, shadows lengthening like grasping fingers as Felix and I pushed through the undergrowth. The air turned thick, carrying a sharp, coppery tang that made my skin prickle. A crimson streak stained the ground ahead—you might have missed it, but Felix didn’t. His breath hitched, his already pale face draining of all color. His blue eyes fixed on the trail, then lifted to the shape lying twisted among the tree roots just around the bend. A corpse. Felix stumbled backward, hands flying to cover his mouth, his whole body trembling. "Wait. you. I… I think that’s blood. It really looks like blood," he stammered, his voice cracking under the weight of the sight. As the grim reality of the murdered man came into stark focus, his fragile composure broke entirely…