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[miasparadigm]

I'll be posting more stuff next month after my exams finish, so I hope you all would look forward to it. I was also thinking of writing content for characters in different shows or books so if theres anyone you want me to write about (or a trope you want me to write about), do tell me!

[miasparadigm]

An Attempt

Tw: blood, tw: knives, tw: chasing, tw: mental breakdown, tw: non human creatures

I used first person here so it can be left upto interpretation on whether the main character here is an OC, or the reader themselves.

My breath hitched in my throat as I looked into the barely lit corridor; my figure blocked the light coming from the small window far behind me, only leaving a few streaks to illuminate the place that will soon be the abode of my demise.

Thud.

Thud.

THUD.

The deafening sound of footsteps was akin to a hammer pounding against my head. The resounding sound burdening my headache and disorientating me. I darted through the corridor once again. Something I realized humored my chaser as high-pitched laughs rang all around me, getting louder with each passing second, as if they had heard a never-ending joke. My eyes burnt with unshed tears as I realized that they were right. This is exactly what it was.

A saddening, humorous joke of an attempt to survive.

The corridors were lined with old mahogany doors, their barely illuminated color haunting me, reminding me of my fate. My heart clenched in anguish as I remembered the times I had pathetically banged on these doors until my hands bled but to no avail. The doors were just a way to mock us. Give us all a fleeting sense of forlorn hope, only to snatch it away from us in order to achieve some sort of twisted form of glee.

All of this, just to get a little taste of their sick fun. A high they can't seem to get enough of but one that ends as quickly as it starts. It was far too addictive for these creatures to just stop. Far too addictive that they can't even think of anything else anymore.

My legs were numb from running for the past few hours. The blisters on my feet, a reminder, that far worse things would happen to me if I were to get caught before the time ends. So I persevered, carrying myself through the pain. Running away from the only source of light. Away from anything or anyone that could have saved me. Away from that monster. But most of all...

Away from my one escape from this hell hole.

I choked on a sob as I realized the sound of his footsteps had come to a stop and what the action meant.

He was scheming something.

A few moments passed in silence, save for the sound of my footsteps against the tiled floor.

A low whistling sound penetrated the air, followed by a few words that caused enough trepidation for me to almost trip.

"Oh, where could you be?"

His voice caused dread to weigh down my limbs, making it feel like I was moving through quicksand.

I ignored him and kept running, but I waited.

Waited for a sign from him. Some sign of what he was doing. Of what he was planning.

Alas, he made no sound. No word of his that was always shrill yet deep, like he had almost gotten how to speak right. Almost Human, but not quite there.

The creatures always had something a bit off. Their voice was always a bit too high. Their smiles always a bit too wide. Their movements always a bit too forced. Their eyes were the worst. They bore into you too intensely for something that looked so lifeless.

I had thought that he was different but these grim reminders should have made me stay away.

Silence continued.

I stopped in my tracks and turned around, peering into the dark, unwelcoming corridor. Waiting. Searching desperately for any signs of movement or any indication of his next move.

I cursed myself mentally for being this weak. I should think of a way to outsmart him as I had done before, but the morbid anticipation and exhaustion caused my mind to run all of its gears at once. My headache had turned into a full-blown migraine now.

I strained my ears for any sound, ignoring the ringing that had become a permanent part of my hearing. An outcome of the continued relentless screaming and crying that had happened almost every day. Caused by the creatures as they took our lives, one by one. The lives of innocent students who bore through this hell with me. Today it seemed, however, that I would be the one wailed upon.

After a few minutes of waiting, I started inching backward, keeping my eyes glued to the darkness, scrutinizing it; preventing myself from being caught off guard. I dug my nails into my palms to keep myself from crying from the heavy despair caused by this torture and giving him the show he wanted. I could already hear him cackling at me, maybe it was me finally going mad.

It would be a pleasant surprise if I hadn't already.

Something glistened in the darkness and my eyes widened in horror when I realized what was happening. But it was too late.

"AHH"

I let out a scream as searing pain spread through my leg. I looked down to see a knife embedded into it, blood gushing out and pooling all around my foot. My sense of fight and flight overwhelmed the pain and I tried to move but it caused the knife to further dig into my leg. Before I could even bend down to pull it out, I heard fast footsteps approaching.

He was running towards me.

I didn't even have a chance to register what was happening and take off before the outline of his figure, shrouded in darkness, came into view. The only thing visible were his glowing green eyes, filled with blood lust. Within a flash his hands were at my throat, choking me. I clawed at the while I struggled to breathe. He leered at me, amused by my struggle. His eyes flitted all over my face, savoring my reaction.

He suddenly grinned maniacally at me, leaning in closer. His hot breath fanned my ear and I cried out as he spoke.

"You've lost."

[miasparadigm]

Stranded

This is unreliable narration, I hope you all like this one!

Tw: caged birds, Tw: disfigured monsters/creatures, Tw: mental illness, Tw: unrealibke narration, Tw: blood, Tw: cuts and bruises

(I think that's all of them)

------------------‐-------‐---------------------

I scanned the place as the metal door creaked shut behind me.

"Looks like the place is empty, girlie," Max noted, his hands settling on his hips beside the black torch he had brought along. A contrast against his white hoodie.

I let out a sigh of annoyance and analyzed the place for anything that could help us, but only got more confused by what I saw.

It was a strange sight.

The windows were boarded up. The checkered tiles reflected the strange blue fluorescent light from the lamps hung above in a typical '90s fashion. There were yellow family dining tables arranged linearly and had white plates present on them. All empty. The whole scene looked like a fever dream.

There was a register area at the far end of the restaurant but the workstation had no bell. There wasn't a door behind it either- or anywhere other than the exit for that matter. No storage boxes or spaces were present either.

A restaurant without a kitchen or supplies? How odd was that?

The restaurant's dark wooden floor, emitting a orange hue due to the lamps, was wet.

Weird.

We had became stranded in this place with dead phones after our car had stopped working and so, looked around the area but found no one. Even the 24/7 store nearby was empty.

Yet, it was very clear that someone had been here recently.

"Donna, let's just head out. We can push the car y'know? Ain't got all these muscles for nothin', after all," Max spoke out.

"What muscles?"

I quickly averted my gaze when he glared in reply.

I shrugged.

"You're willing to push a car from the middle of nowhere to a town an hour from here? In the dead of the night? Dude, might as well just give your stuff out for free."

He scrutinized my reply for a few seconds before giving me a nod of approval. He gave a sigh, stretching and cracking a few bones, then proceeded to the register area.

He suddenly did a double-take and peered closer behind it, his eyes gleaming.

"Aye, what's that?"

He quickly clamped a hand over his mouth and shut his eyes. When he opened them and looked over at me, his eyes seemed to be full of... regret?

No way. It was probably a relief.

I raised my eyebrows in curiosity and, I all but fell, in a rush to look at what he was talking about.

It was a tiled square bordered by steel and attached to a handle.

A trap door.

It seemed to be locked by a heavy padlock.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's look inside? Maybe you can try picking or breaking the lock and opening the trapdoor? Put those 'muscles' to good use?" I jabbered.

I admit I was rambling at this point, but the relief that flooded me had left me in a drunken daze.

"Ain't so sure about that girlie. Why don't we just wait till mornin' and just call for help? People would probably come by then. Sound good?" he retorted hesitantly, his eyebrows scrunching up in hesitation.

"We can get help," I said in disbelief.

A muscle went taut in his jaw.

"We can also get murdered."

His firm tone made no room for confusion on whether he would budge. I rolled my eyes and sat down on one of the yellow chairs in defeat, the empty plate in front of me not helping my hunger in the least.

Max hauled himself over the corner of the checkout counter and leaned against the wall.

I flexed my fingers, observing my sky blue painted nails.

What a shame. I got them done just yesterday and now I might have to push a car. Life had become a mess right after we left for this vacation. We might have to waste away a night here.

I narrowed my eyes in indignation.

No.

No, I can't spend a whole night here in the middle of nowhere. No one would know where we are. We haven't even told anyone that we're coming back earlier from our vacation. To top it all off, I have work tomorrow. I don't need to give my boss another reason to hate me.

My eyes drifted to Max. He was busy analyzing his burgundy shoes.

I cleared my throat to get his attention but ended up getting even more vexed when he didn't acknowledge me.

I sighed and returned my gaze to my nails, but in doing so, my eyes caught a gleam of a shining object placed on the plate before me. A key.

Was it for the padlock on the trapdoor?

Could we possibly look inside it?

"How about a peak?" I offered to Max.

I need to look inside.

"No."

He didn't even bother looking at me while replying. Those shoes really must be one of the most mystical things on earth.

"Dude just a peek? Think about it. I can make sure there isn't anything that can help us and you can satiate your curiosity. I know you really want to know what's in there."

"I really don't, actually."

Ok maybe I was wrong about him but a phone is all I need. How long has it been since we've come here, anyway?

Wait.

How long has it been?

I shook my head to get rid of the fog clouding my head. Hasn't it been so long since we've been in this place? It felt like hours. It has had to have been hours.

Wait.

It's been hours.

I wasted hours here.

I need to leave. I can't be trapped in here anymore.

"Dude anyone that's in there would have come out by now or, suffocated at least. It's been like hours since we've been here. I just need a phone," I called out frantically, my voice cracking.

I sounded hysterical.

No.

I'm not.

I'm not hysterical.

Max finally looked over at me with furrowed eyebrows and a deep frown tugging at his lips. His eyes held disbelief.

"Hours?" he repeated, glaring daggers at me which made me want to shrink out of his view. He then scoffed and returned his gaze to his majestic shoes while grumbling.

Why's he been so stressed lately?

"Max-"

"Will ya be quiet and maybe try n' get some sleep after we get a peek inside?"

I gave a firm nod in his direction.

The nod served no purpose since he had already heaved himself off the counter and went to the trap door without even waiting for a reply. An easy feat for him, but trying to get over the counter had me struggling to breathe.

He made a show of tugging at the lock and feigned exhaustion when it wouldn't even budge.

"See? it's locked," Max informed, holding up his hands in defeat and promptly turning on his heel, already ready to give up.

I held up the key I found at the table and Max looked about ready to somehow throw it out the boarded window. He scowled at me and snatched the key out of my hand. He proceeded to unlock the padlock, placing it a few inches away from the trap door.

He rolled the sleeves of his green shirt and gripped the handle, peering up at me in expectation.

So much for those muscles.

I gripped the handle and tugged when he signaled me to...

But, ended up falling hard against the wall behind us. Looks like it wasn't as heavy as we thought.

We regained our composure and looked inside the opening.

It was incredibly dark. Even though the room was lit up, it was like none of the light could penetrate through.

Max held the torch, its shiny black material reflecting the pink and purple lights of the place.

He turned it on and tried lighting up the inside of the opening.

Nothing.

The darkness just seemed to engulf the light.

"What in the absolute hell is this?" Max muttered. A glance in his direction revealed an incredibly perturbed expression decorating his face.

"Listen, Donna, this don't be makin' too much sense," Max sputtered, increasing the intensity of the torch and moving it around wildly, yet seeing no result.

Alright then, maybe I should try feeling around for anything inside?

I lifted my hand, which was immediately engulfed in a steel grip.

"Don't. Even. Try," Max spoke through gritted teeth. His eye boring into mine.

I snatched my hand back and gave an awkward laugh.

He turned off the torch and reached for the handle once again. Was he going to close it?

No, he can't.

We don't even know what's in there yet.

With all the swiftness I could muster, I grabbed the torch from Max and used the floor to propel myself forward and slid into the opening.

Thump.

A sharp pain shot up in my ankle.

Bloody hell. Looks like I sprained it.

The fall wasn't even that far. If anything, it seemed like I had jumped in less than a meter. I looked up and was dumbstruck by the fact that the opening had just disappeared.

It was just pitch black.

Looks like the light from the restaurant place really could not penetrate through here.

I turned on the torch, just as I heard Max scream my name, internally praying that the light would actually be present this time around.

And Viola! It was.

The torch shed light onto the place, which looked like an abandoned mining tunnel. The walls were made of wood and the ground was ragged concrete. There was a ladder leading up to the restaurant I had come from. I turned around to get a better view of the place. The tunnel ended a few meters from where I stood and gave way to a tunnel on either side.

I walked a few steps further into the tunnel before I squealed in shock as a large thump resounded from behind me. My torch shone upon the source of the sound, only to illuminate a glowering Max.

His threatening aura almost paralyzed me. A sound reaction, considering I had never seen him this angry.

"I knew ya were crazy but I didn't think ya would go this far," he hissed.

I tried to think of an answer but was beat to it by the sound of footsteps reverberating at the end of the tunnel. Both of our attentions snapped towards the source of the sound. I felt Max grip my wrist.

The torch illuminating the hallway started to flicker as a figure began to step out from the right passageway into our field of vision.

It seemed like a normal employee, initially. A man donning a blue collared t-shirt, khaki pants, and a matching hat, covering any hair that could have been visible. Sleek black shoes and a name tag completed the look. He looked normal, had it not been for the splatters of what resembled blood on his figure and...

the face.

Even at first glance, it was obvious that this thing wasn't quite human. Its eyes stretched down to almost half of its 'nose', if you could even call it that, since the 'nose' itself was too pointy. As if it was made of clay and someone has pinched it too hard to make a sorry excuse for Pinocchio. Its mouth extended to half of its cheeks on either side, and the lips were mortifying. They weren't even made, it was very obviously drawn on by some red marker, the 'facial feature' contrasting strongly against its paper-white skin.

It started to scuff slowly towards us, hobbling as a result of its mismatched length of legs. It began to make high-pitched shrieks, yet its "mouth" didn't even open. Its sounds caused piercing pain in my ears. Staying here any longer would certainly, quite literally, cause my ears to bleed.

A pull from Max broke the stupor I was in. He ushered me hastily towards the ladder and took the torch from me, keeping the creature illuminated.

The adrenaline rush from what I just saw helped me overcome the pain from my sprained ankle, allowing me to climb the ladder at a faster pace than I otherwise would have been able to.

But-

I kept climbing. The ladder shouldn't have been this long.

Darkness enveloped my vision and I could see nothing above or below me. The constant shrieking of the creature stopped.

The darkness.

It was too suffocating.

I can't breathe.

My skin began burning in various places.

Pain.

It hurts. So much.

Why does it hurt?

After a few minutes of climbing, I could hear the screeches once again.

What the hell is going on.

Like some sort of miracle, the green lights of the restaurant came into view just as the screeching started again and a glance below revealed Max following close behind.

"HURRY UP DONNA! THAT THING IS RUNNING NOW!"

I internally cursed and struggled to get onto the floor of the restaurant as Max came out of the opening after me. A rotting grey hand with black claw-like nails reached out of the trap door and onto the floor after Max.

In a panicked hurry, Max precipitously stomped on it, causing it to retreat in pain. I promptly crawled towards the trap door and shut it, keeping my weight on it. The creature banged thunderously against the trap door.

I don't think my weight will be enough.

"Max the lock!"

Max was quick to jump to action and lock the trapdoor.

I leaned against the counter, trying to rapidly catch my breath so we could get out of here.

The familiar chirping of the birds helped me calm down. A glance at the tables in the restaurant revealed the caged birds once again. The white doves singing. Each table contained a cage in place of what would have been plates in normal restaurants.

But this wasn't a normal restaurant.

After what I just witnessed, I was relieved to be back here nonetheless.

Max extended a hand towards me, looks like he noticed my ankle, which was now blooming a dark purple color. As I reached out to grab his hand, I noticed my fingernails were covered in...

blood?

I turned the palm of my hand towards my face and noticed there was more blood under my nails along with specks of white. As if-

As if I had clawed at the creature.

I raised my head to voice the weird discovery to Max but noticed his face and clothes were splattered in blood. His skin was littered with purple and blue marks.

"Max, why are we covered in blood?" I rasped out. Why was my voice so hoarse?

He blinked a bit before he scowled.

"What?"

"Why are you bruised?"

"What the hell? What do ya mean why?"

Did I miss something?

"Listen, I genuinely don't know, why-," I was cut off by a loud bang, bringing us both to the dire situation at hand.

Max immediately pulled me off the floor and held my shoulder.

"Let's just," Max took a deep breath before continuing,

"Let's just get out of here."

He helped me out of the restaurant. On my way, I noticed something peculiar in the windows of the restaurant.

My reflection.

Covered in bruises and cuts.

But why?

"How is it midday already? we were in there for less than 2 hours," Max muttered in disbelief, looking around frantically as if to find someone who would tell him it was all a joke and get a good laugh out of it.

I looked around the area myself and managed to catch a miracle occurring.

The presence of a person.

It was a man, seemingly in his mid-thirties. His blonde hair looked ethereal. Glowing. He had a grin on his face as he headed toward the 24/7 store.

My breathing quickened. Finally.

"Max, I just saw someone head towards the store," I blurted.

My words seemed to still Max as he sharply turned towards me, gawking. His initial surprise seemed to turn into motivation as he headed toward the store, while helping me, with rejuvenated vigor.

The door to the store was made of glass and the presence of several people inside filled me with utmost joy and relief. The man I had seen was present along with a group of roguish teenagers. A few women were flipping through a magazine. Everyone seemed to be laughing and chattering with each other, blissfully unaware.

Unaware of the looming danger.

Max barged into the store causing all eyes to turn towards us. The cashier gave out a chuckle. The motion caused his gray mustache to whistle. He fixed his unkempt hair and straightened his uniform as he spoke.

"Been a while since I saw teenagers all ruffled up from a fight," he spoke gruffly as he leaned over the counter.

"Damn I want to see a fight," someone whined behind us, causing the cashier to chuckle further, but I and Max merely ignored it.

"We didn't get into a fight, there was this thing in a restaurant like a few meters from here," I justified, "it wasn't even human, like it was- how do I say-"

Max cut me off and continued in the same hurried tone that I used.

"It wasn't human, alright? It just wasn't. We got into a fight and it beat the hell outta us. It almost killed her," he gestured towards me. I gave a confused stare in response but he ignored it and continued. "We barely escaped that place, please just help us get outta here. We don't wanna stay here. That thing is barely locked in as it is."

We stared at the cashier in response but he just offered us a blank stare. His expression had turned serene.

I realized that as we were talking, the chattering and laughing in the store had stopped.

The place was filled with dead silence.

I looked around and saw the same serene expression had taken over the previously happy expressions of everyone present here.

As I stared at them longer in confusion, I noticed some of them were shaking while the others held extreme trepidation in their eyes.

Then the strangest thing happened.

All of them simultaneously raised a finger to their lips and let out a single sound...

Shhhh.

[miasparadigm]

Just a reminder that asks are open!

[miasparadigm]

The Meeting

I'm sorry if this is late but I have a really important exam coming up this month so it's been taking up alot of my time.

Tw: mention of injury, Tw: manipulation, Tw: abuse of power, Tw: gaslighting, Tw: mentions of syringes and needles, Tw: threatening

I think thats all of them! I hope you all like this one!

-------------------------------------------------------

His feet tapped against the marbeled floor in anticipation. Thoughts flooded through his mind, some rendering anxiousness, others confusion, and some... anger.

The constant staring at the door had tired out his eyes, and his patience had started dwindling.

Not that he had much if it to begin with anyway.

Clearly, Veronica had baited him for laughs, but he still sat there. For a while longer at least.

He just needed her to say it once. That's why she must've called him anyway, what else was there to discuss after the incident at the lab? Her recklessness and greed for knowledge had left him on the brink of death, and his state after recovery was nothing less than hell.

It had been four months and she, his superior, never even acknowledged what had happened to him.

Daniel took one of the sugar sachets present on the table and played with it. A waiter had come by and taken his order half an hour ago, it was literally just coffee with no sugar, it shouldn't have taken this long. Life was just against him at this point it seemed.

The only sound present in the place was the occasional clanking of utensils and murmuring of the staff. It would have been embarrassing for him to be stood up infront of them, but that wasn't of his concern today.

The whole caffe was empty save for him and the staff, he wasn't sure if it was because of the fact that today was just not a busy day or that Veronica had cleared out the whole place for a reason only known to her. He had an inkling it was the latter. He had spent too much time with her to not know better afterall.

A hand slammed at the table and Daniel's gaze snapped up, his eye twitching in annoyance.

Veronica looked just as much of a mess as ever, her hair strewn about in disarray, her clothes wrinkled and her eyes held disdain.

Funny, how the very same gaze he had tried to avoid had become a source of pride for him now.

"You're late," he seethed.

"And yet, you stayed," Veronica replied nonchalantly, taking a seat on the other side of the table.

Her retort further fueled his anger and he flexed and unflexed his fingers as a distraction.

"Why did you call me here?"

"Just a bit of conversation really, perhaps our last meeting left a few topics-" her eyes trailed off, a habit that Daniel knew meant she was going to say the most shit eating words, "undiscussed."

"The last meeting? You mean the time I almost died?" he gestured at himself. "You used me a Guinea pig. Left me in constant agony. Hell, I'm pretty sure my body is giving up on me."

Veronica leaned back in her chair and rolled her eyes.

"You were always one for dramatics, Daniel. A Guinea pig, really? It was a mistake. You were in the way and the syringe injected you instead of... well, the actual guinea pig."

"It was exactly ten meters away from where I was."

Veronica gave him a pointed look.

"To you perhaps." she said, gazing at his form,"besides, shouldn't you be proud? Being used for science? Isnt that what we all aim to do? You came so close to actually achieving something."

She gave him a quirk of a smile, and Daniel wanted to do nothing more than knock it off her. He wasn't the best gentleman, but the british blood in him wouldn't allow him to even think about hitting a woman.

But this wasn't a woman. It was Veronica.

"So is that why you're here? To experiment on me more? Was almost killing me not enough?"

Daniel's voice had gotten loud enough to gain the attention of the staff, causing him to become flustered. Veronica gave them a reassuring charismatic smile and they soon resumed their actions.

"You are an asset with untapped potential, imagine the lives you could save," she encouraged. Encouragement wasn't really the right word, since the web of lies she spins was something Daniel knew of very well. This was just another one of her schemes.

He ran his hands through his hair in exasperation and pursed his lips.

"Why the hell would I ever work with you again? You're crazy! Absolutely bat shit crazy."

Veronica shrugged in response, tapping her nails on the wooden table, her eyes drifting to the side every now and then, clearly thinking about something else. She didnt even pay him her full attention, despite her being the one who called him here.

Her eyes met his gaze again.

"The lab would do well with you in it, but it seems that I had perhaps overestimated your dedication and intellect."

That stung him more than it should have. She was the one who had snatched his dreams from him afterall.

Daniel clapped his hands in mock, which resulted in Veronica's non chalant expression to morph into an irritated one.

"Wow, I didnt know you were such a saint! Saving lives? Is that what you really wanted to do?"

"You cannot deny that my work has saved lives, Daniel."

The answer made him want to pull his hair out. Her god complex knew no bounds.

"Yet," he jabbed a finger towards her direction, "you cannot deny it killed many more. You didnt even give a shit about them."

"Casualties were a necessary."

He scoffed at that and leaned back in his chair, mirroring Veronica's own stature. It had become clear to him that arguing with her was futile, pity, since it was something he should have known very well. He used to be her 'closest' assistant afterall.

"Bloody hell," he muttered.

"Well then, it seems that you will not be returning. But I should warn you, it's best to keep this whole ordeal under wraps," Veronica instructed, ignoring him.

"Excuse me?"

She shrugged in response and gave a tilt of her head.

"I'm just saying, it would cause unnecessary chaos."

"On the contrary, I think the public should know what their amazing saviour has been up to," Daniel objected. He felt a ray of hope blooming, perhaps with the right steps, he could use this information against Veronica. Maybe turn his misery around.

His hope crashed the moment he heard laughter. His throat constricted at the sight of her cackle.

She pointed a finger at him

"You?" She asked, wiping a tear from her eye, her laugh dying down into a chortle. "You think they'll believe you? What have you ever done for them except causing discord? Do you know what they call you, Daniel? They think you're a joke."

She rested her face in her hands as she continued, a cheshire grin decorating her face.

"No, but really, do you think I don't have the means to destroy you? I just had tea with president of the institute yesterday, I have plans with the chair this weekend. Do you think the higher ups will prefer you over me? They'll actually listen to you of all people?"

Her eyes narrowed as a twinkle of mischief brightened them.

"Speaking of people dear to us, how's Alex?"

Bile rose in his throat at the mention of her name by that monsters mouth, and Daniel thought he would throw up right there and then. He cant let her hurt Alex. Cant let her bring him any more pain than she already has.

Unfortunately Veronica had made her point very clear, it was obvious he could do nothing at this point. He was powerless against her. She would always be 5 feet ahead of him, it seemed like the distance seemed to increase with time.

Daniel gulped down his fear and anxiety, as he recognised that Veronica was waiting for an answer.

"Fine," he managed out, his voice threatening to break, he liked to think that it was due anger, but even he couldn't delude himself into believing that.

"I couldn't hear you, could you speak up please?" She requested oh-so innocently, but he knew he had to answer that too. He wanted the coffee to come faster so he could somehow use it to drown himself, anything to avoid this embarrassment.

"I said fine. The information about the experiment will not get out," he spoke up, his voice wavering.

"Well then, I'm glad we reached an agreement, I really did make many compromises for you, you know?"

He glared at her, something she revelled in. It was unfortunate how quickly the tables had turned on him.

The scraping of a chair against the marbeled floor caused Daniel to snap out of his thoughts, giving Veronica a weary look.

"Anyway," she started, getting up from the chair, "I better get going, science will not unveil itself."

Without another word, she walked right past him, not even bothering to spare him a glance, perhaps the smallest mercy he had gained from someone today. The fact that it was by her made him want to throw the table at wall.

As she walked out the door, a waiter came and put his coffee on the table. Seems like they were in on it too. Veronica really did have too much power.

He lifted the hot paper cup and took a sip.

It was too sweet.

[miasparadigm]

@the2headedcalf / On Love, Alain de Botton /  @tilthat / Céline Sciamma / Twitter: Nightshiftmp3 / Twitter: Thepartypope / Portrait of a Lady on Fire / The Clean House, Sarah Ruhl / The History of the Band-Aid

[miasparadigm]

Clarity

Two works within a week? Miraculous! I'm still working on the short story I was talking about but here's a small piece I did as well. Hope you like it!!!

The quill in my hand quivered in uncertainty and question. Raised. Desperate to be used. Its ink droplets fell onto the old parched paper, further blotting the already illegible words.

I raised my head to look at the figure of the old man looming before me, meeting his withering stare. His normally comforting eyes- treacherous. Filled with malice.

"What do you fear, child?"

The fog that had blanketed my mind, rendering me incapable of remembering even the simple act of writing, subsided instantaneously upon the utterance of his words. A single, prominent word filled the expanse of my mind. A stark clarity.

"You."

[miasparadigm]

You know what I started doing this past year that really helped my mental health and might sound odd?

I started telling people good things. Like if I notice a retail worker's dress is pretty, I say so. If I find a waitress' balancing skills impressive, I say so. I tell people I appreciate them.

I look at every interaction I have with people as "I'm gonna make their day less shitty" and you know what?? Turns out visibly making people happier is good for the soul!

I smile at people in the subway, I say hi to bus drivers, I tip exhausted-looking fast food workers and tell them to have a good night.

And like, it's so healing??

It feels like I'm shutting up the part of me that's dragging me down and telling me I'll never be useful. Because look how useful I am, I made an employee smile because I said I liked her scarf!

I leave comments on fanfic, I text people memes, and maybe it's overrated to be useful. Maybe I'm not meant to be used, and maybe I'm just meant to be here to drop a couple coins in tip jars and smile at people and hold doors open. That's enough, I think.

[miasparadigm]

I think I'll try my hand at unreliable narrating next? Seems pretty interesting ngl.

[miasparadigm]

Navigation

This is to basically compile all my work for easier access. I'm also very much open to any requests.

Also please know that my asks are open!

My longer works:

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2-

3-

4-

My shorter works:

1-

[miasparadigm]

Freedom

Omg I'm back. Hope you enjoy this one!

My exhausted body flinched at the sudden clanking of chains. Seems like a bit of quiet was too much to ask for.

My neck was beginning to strain, a result of looking out of the metal rods constantly. The only barrier to my freedom.

The pain, albeit, was much better than acknowledging the person in front of me.

"Not even going to look at me, are you?"

My eye twitched at the words uttered by a croaky voice that was usually smooth and honeyed enough to make me sick. The current state of his voice filled me with content. Happiness really was in the smallest of things.

"So you're not going to deign me worthy of a reply, hero? I'm hurt."

Unfortunately, the annoyance that occurred with every word he spoke was still present.

A scoff was clawing its way up my throat but I kept it caged nonetheless. The metal bars reflected the damned man. A chained hand barely reaching his heart. His dramatics really were second to none.

"Oh!"

My eyebrows raised as he snapped his fingers.

"You're waiting for them aren't you?," his inquiry was made to seem genuine but one could easily sense the thinly concealed malice. "That's so cute! But alas!"

Resentment filled me.

I grit my teeth to stop myself from lashing out at him. This was another one of his schemes to get a rise out of me. Due to the current situation, I doubted it would take long for that to happen.

"They won't come for you. I can assure you of that." His voice sounded grim and yet serenely, filled with glee. Certainty accompanying every syllable.

My eyebrows furrowed in worry at his declaration. The only moral thing about this man was that he never lied. Not even once. That attribute of his made all of his actions even worse.

A string snapped in my head.

My head jolted towards his smug face.

"What the hell are you on about this time?"

He gave a cheshire grin in my direction. Clear triumph highlighting his face at my words.

"Hero," he drawled out the word, as if condescending a child.

"Dead men can't walk."

A sharp inhale was the only reply I could muster to that. I shut my eyes briefly. An ill attempt at trying to gather myself. I mustered all the courage I had to open them again to the sight of the man in front of me.

His face was telling of how much he savored my reaction. His eyes trained on me like a hawk. Predatorily. His lips were tightly sealed, waiting for me to speak. To prolong this in any way possible.

"What are you talking about?"

My voice was nothing short of a hoarse whisper.

He wasted no time in replying, in a voice so bored, it filled the atmosphere with eeriness.

"They were flies really. Things that could cause a slight hitch in my plans. Now, I didn't like that."

My stomach churned at his words. Its contents threatening to spill. His voice turned resentful as he continued.

"But, effective. Yes, quite effective they were. Your firmest allies. Finest warriors. The guards to the utopia you built. Built on lies of it being just."

His features contorted into a scornful look.

"Hero. If I can even call you that," he seethed. "I'll put an end to that circus of yours. Build it all up again. In the way it should have been built in the first place. But before that-"

My breathing was becoming more and more frantic. My eyes blurred from the thickening pressure.

He smashed his chained hands to the concrete ground. The chains shattering to pieces on impact. I backed up further into the wall, curling in on myself. My eyes unmoving from his form as he stood up with such vigor, it made me question the existence of the weary form that had been before me earlier. I recoiled when his gaze finally landed on me.

He looked down at me with the most hate-filled eyes I had the misfortune of witnessing.

"Everything you've built. Everything you've loved. I'll burn it all to ashes."

[miasparadigm]

Honestly the most difficult app to navigate in terms of writing definitely has to be Twitter.

[miasparadigm]

Princess Treatment

[miasparadigm]

Baby victor supremacy 😤😤😤

Nobody’s ever believed in me — a poor cripple from the undercity.

[miasparadigm]

You guys ever think those nights ever took a toll on him? Also bonus:

[miasparadigm]

The Button

It's been two weeks since my last writing, so I hope you all enjoy this one.

The red button glowed intensely at us. Beckoning us closer. Tempting us to push it. A morbid enigma.

A pale hand reaches for it.

I gripped the hand before it could get closer, my head snapping towards the owner of the said hand.

"Are you trying to get us killed Charlotte?"

Her eyebrows furrowed in anger and frustration, before she yanked her hand back.

"I'm trying to get us out of here," she retorted incredulously. I felt annoyance burn through my veins at her naivety.

Her eyes bore into mine as I swallowed down my annoyance, careful to not anger her further, lest she decides to press the mystery as some sort of revenge.

Sweat dribbled down my face, the unnaturally humid air around us thickening even more, as if sensing the intensity in the atmosphere.

"For all we know, Charlotte," I started slowly, "this could be a trap"

"Or maybe, Atlanta, it isn't."

I rolled my eyes at the reply. The exasperation setting in at the way she accentuated every syllable of my name in mock.

"Charlotte, all the previous ones have been, what are the odds, that this glowing large button at the center of the room is not."

She squinted her eyes at me in chagrin, before they shifted to the ground, in what I hoped to be reconsideration. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw some of the fight leave her eyes.

A few seconds passed before she raised her head to look back at me, a deep frown set in place. She held out her right hand for me to see, earning a grimace in return. My own hand throbbed at the sight, it faring no better.

"This," she thrust the hand at my face, causing me to flinch. Her voice higher than usual. "This was your idea."

I scowled in disbelief.

"I didn't see you come up with any better ideas yourself, at least this was logical."

She scoffed at my reply, her eyes widening in what I assumed to be fury.

"Slapping our hand on every inch of the wall to use the resulting sound to find a trap door or a weak point is more logical than doing the thing they clearly want us to do. Let's not forget, Charlotte, they brought us here for their entertainment," I continued, stumbling over my words in a rush. The rush present partially to calm her down in time and partially due to my own state of vexation.

I thought my words would get through to her but all she gave me was a snarl in reply.

She glared daggers at me before moving away. I frowned in confusion as she strode over to the edge of the room and stomped her foot against the wall.

"You can barely walk 5 steps from the center before reaching this damned wall."

She pointed a finger at the ceiling.

"No ventilation system."

She gestured all around us frantically.

"No windows. No doors."

She marched towards me, a snarl set in place, and stopped when she was right in front of me. I tried to collect myself as my spine chilled at the glare she gave me.

"Atlanta," she seethed, "how long do you think we would last here before the oxygen in this place runs out or we collapse from exhaustion?"

I felt her rashness taking over and I stepped in front of the part of the wall that had the button, obscuring Charlotte's view and reach.

I stared into her eyes. Firmly. Trying to convey to her to stop being so hasty since words did all but calm her.

My heart tightened as if an iron fist had seized it. I could see how broken Charlotte had become. Her eyes held nothing but desperation. Desperation. anger, revenge, and ferocity. My mind reeled as I noticed her resolute actions had become shaky now. Her hands had been constantly shaking while we were here. Perhaps even before we entered this place.

I clasped her hands softly against mine. The action startling her.

"Charlotte-"

My words were cut off as she cried out.

"Don't. Please. Stop saying my name. Just-" she shook her head, before taking a deep breath before continuing. "You have to realize we have no other choice. I just want all of this to be over. I'm just so tired now. We can't go on anymore"

Her eyes shut tightly. The moment she opened them, I saw them glazed over with unshed tears.

"We'll get through this too, we just need to think harder. We always have each other, after all." I pleaded, voice shaking, trying to provide any sense of comfort and rationalization I could.

She shook her head at me. My heart skipped a beat as a solemn smile replaced her former frown.

She took advantage of my confusion and shook my hands off of her own, proceeding to then grip my shoulders. I winced as her fingers dug through my skin.

"Stop, what are you-"

I shrieked as she shoved me into the wall.

I pushed her off with all the strength I could muster. I was about to yell at her before I remembered.

The button

I craned my neck to look behind. The bright glow of the button had become dull.

The button had been pressed.

Beeping started to fill the room. I glowered down at charlotte, her own gaze set on the button.

All I saw was red.

"CHARLOTTE WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

My voice came out in a loud screech, effectively turning her attention towards me. All she did was stare back at me for a few moments. I gasped in shock and horror as she then started laughing, tears starting to roll down her face.

She had absolutely lost it now.

The lights in the room turned off instantly, shrouding us in ominous darkness.

Despite the anger and fear, I realized, I still had to get to Charlotte. We can't risk getting separated. I won't let that happen either.

I tried walking closer to charlotte, following the sound of her laughing. My foot stepped on something and I knew it was Charlotte's foot by the way her laughing stopped. I bent down and, after a few misses in the dark, gripped her arm.

The relief of finding her in this pitch black room was short lived.

I let out a sharp gasp as a blunt object hit the back of my head, causing searing pain. I stumbled forward, strength leaving my body.

I felt Charlotte's hand on my head, guiding me to her lap as I started to fade into unconsciousness. Her frantic words nothing short of a blur.

The last thing I remember was Charlotte's own body collapsing against mine.