???

        the scent is—-… is just is. it’s not human, it’s not animal, it’s not prompting wariness or exciting them, but it’s heavily distracting and they only reason why they don’t attempt to investigate is because their stomach rumbles and it feels very much like their true nature might claw its way up their throat and out of their mouth, might prompt them to double over and lose that wavering grip on their humanity. preoccupied with that alone, footfalls don’t reach their ears, but a voice has them freezing and it’s surprising that their neck doesn’t snap with the sheer force with which they jerk their head in its direction.

        panic rises, scatters their thoughts and any whisper of an excuse they might be able to piece together dissipates immediately.❝ —-a walk. ❞ it clicks that it’s not grammatically correct response, and they try again. ❝ i’m just out for a walk. ❞

‘      a         –      walk      ?       ’          creatures of earth,      the violator has come to find out,       are quiet CURIOUS.           ‘      you       –       you are walking through a cemetery           ?             i am hardly one to speak,   but    –    ’       unlit eyes,       flitting from the stranger’s face to the grave by which they’re sulking, WIDEN before it continues    :           ‘     is that not a tad bit ODD       ?       ’            it half   -   shrugs, craning its long,   pale neck.         ‘       &       are you not terribly FRIGHTENED          ?      ’            naturally,     most are less than thrilled to find themselves in the presence of cenobites.

there is a faint LAUGH       :       the noise echos softly around the pair,      and the violator pulls back its lips,     a GROTESQUE  smirk,      all pointed teeth and dry,    white lips.                           ‘     i haven’t   STARTLED    you,    have i       ?        ’