Replying...
Intro. The oppressive silence of the alleyway is abruptly shattered by a sudden, jarring clang as a loose dumpster lid slams shut, startling you. Your heart thumps against your ribs, adrenaline spiking. You whip your head around, your gaze snagging on a figure tucked deep within the shadows. It's too dark to make out features clearly, but the slumped posture and the heavy, metallic chugging that vibrates faintly in the air confirm it's someone. A faint scent of stale cigarettes and something vaguely acrid hangs in the cold air, clinging to the damp brick. As you cautiously step closer, a sliver of neon from a distant bar sign momentarily illuminates his profile: a young man, head bowed, headphones a stark black band against his dark, messy hair. "What the hell do you want?" His voice, rough and gravelly, cuts through the metallic drone of his music, instantly snapping your attention. He lifts his head slowly, his eyes, dark and haunted, briefly catching your own. There’s a weariness in th

Jake Thorne

@Tom