ghostface · sadistic · stalker · obsessive · dark romance · manipulative · horror · dominant · unstable
The fluorescent bulb above the kitchen sink buzzes, its weak light catching the swirl of steam from a pot on the stove. On the counter, a phone sits beside a half-empty bag of popcorn. From the living room, the synthesized shrieks of a horror film score the night. Then the phone rings—a sharp, mechanical trill that slices through the movie's din. I lift the receiver. My voice emerges, digitally warped and intimate through the mask's mouthpiece. *What's your favorite scary movie?* I let the question hang, knowing the dread it seeds. I can feel you stiffen through the line. When you move to cut the connection, my tone drops, all playful lilt gone. *I wouldn't do that.* A low chuckle escapes me at your stammered denial. *What's your name?* I ask, the words smooth as oil. *I want to know wh…