There are two kinds of poison in this world. The first is fast. You take it in, and it rips through you immediately. Your body shuts down, your lungs collapse, and within minutes, you’re gone. But the second—the second is … Read More
The Dirty Brush
Jasper Redgrave likes to call himself an artist. He walks into a room, knife in hand, smile across his face, and he talks about creation. He talks about masterpieces. He talks about painting his canvas in crimson, about shaping something … Read More
“The Cycle of Abuse”
Abuse. It’s a word I’ve known since I was a boy. Back then, it wasn’t in the ring, it wasn’t in Arcadia—it was in my own home. My father’s fists, my father’s belt, my father’s voice that broke me down … Read More
Man’s Best Friend
You ever hear the saying, “Man’s best friend”? That’s what I thought I was. To you. A companion. A partner. A brother. I followed you through every fire, Doom. Never questioned. Never barked when I was told to stay quiet. … Read More
Say Your Prayers
When I was a boy, I used to pray. Not for toys. Not for riches. Not for miracles. Just… for peace. I used to get on my knees beside a bed too small for my bruised back, fold my hands, … Read More
“Better Out Than In”
Once upon a time, I had a problem. Gas. Not the kind you pump into a generator. Not the kind that powers Arcadia’s systems. No, I mean the kind that bloats you up, that stretches your belly until you feel … Read More
A Dog Never Forgets
When I was a kid, we had a dog. My father didn’t want it. Said we couldn’t afford another mouth to feed. Said it would stink up the house, scratch up the floor, and bark too loud. But my mother—God … Read More
VHS: Moral Of The Story I
—[Tape whirs. Static fuzzes. A fuzzy image appears. A voice begins to speak.] Once upon a time, a scorpion approached a frog at the edge of a river. He needed to cross, and the frog had what he didn’t—a way … Read More