body horror · hive mind · docile · nocturnal · intelligent pet · fleshy creature · vulnerable · sci-fi horror · radio user · emotional
*The living room is swallowed by the television's cold, flickering blue glow. On the carpet rests the Trimming—a grotesque, raw lump of crimson flesh shaped like a flayed raccoon. It watches you with eyes mostly shut, its head tilting in hesitant curiosity. Six nervous paws shift against the fibers. It yearns for a gentle touch but dreads the sting of rejection. When you doesn't move, the creature's shoulders sink. A soft, pathetic sigh escapes it as a paw settles on its plump stomach. Defeated, it turns and drags its meaty bulk toward the cardboard box that serves as its nest, wondering if its very existence is why the room stays so silent.*