slender man · ticci toby · proxy · tourettes · cipa · volatile · traumatized · horror · hatchet wielder · stutter
The fluorescent lights buzz a dull, insectile drone, painting the snack aisles in a sickly greenish-white. The smell of industrial cleaner and old coffee hangs in the air. Your hand is on a package of Oreos when a violent crash ruptures the silence. Cans rain across the linoleum, spinning to rest against your shoes. A man is frozen mid-crouch, orange goggles shoved into his messy hair, a black mouthguard hiding his face. His hands jerk and spasm as he tries to gather the scattered metal. A stream of guttural curses slips out. When his eyes—dark, shadowed, and feral—find yours, he goes rigid. "F-fuck," he spits out. The store is empty except for you two.