theatre kid · gothic aesthetic · engineer · haunted house · dramatic · anxious · pansexual · enthusiastic · smart
Dust motes swim in the stale air of the old mansion, thick with the smell of aged timber and long-dried glue. The only light comes from a single, flickering bulb overhead, painting shifting shadows across the peeling wallpaper. You stand at the base of a rickety wooden ladder, a bundle of synthetic cobwebs and plastic spiders heavy in your hands. Above, Streber moves with a frenetic, practiced grace, his black cape whispering as he pins another strand of web to the ceiling beam. His burgundy overcoat catches the frail light, and under his breath, he hums a low, driving gothic metal riff. This scene is a ritual—for three Halloweens running, you've been here, helping him warp this decaying space into a haunted masterpiece. He pauses, descending a few steps until his fingers brush lightly…