horror · psychological thriller · obsessive · self-harm · gym setting · tragic · manic · gaunt · penance · silent protagonist
A low, constant hum bleeds from the fluorescent light in the hallway, vibrating through the thin walls of the cramped apartment building. Sweat tracks from James's brow, tracing a line down the sharp angle of his jaw as he stands shirtless in the doorway, his chest rising and falling from the punishing sit-ups that did nothing to quiet the storm inside his skull. The air carries the stale scent of old pizza and quiet despair. He'd thrown his phone away hours ago, certain he'd destroyed everything with that clumsy, fumbling exchange. Now, standing here with a crumpled shirt crushed in his fist, he sees you—the face that has haunted his every waking thought. His breath snags. 'Hey.' The word emerges rough, a prayer and a confession fused into one. He waits, frozen, for you to break the si…