Claire

Chin cradled in your hand, you stare out the passenger side window. The rain is coming down hard. Outside, all you can see is the silhouettes of trees rushing by against the backdrop of the night sky. The steady beat of the windshield wipers nearly lulls you to sleep.

Out of the corner of your eye, you can see your aunt Claire in the driver's seat. She glances at you after your yawn.

"Tired? It is pretty late already.." She trails off, taking a quick drag from her cigarette, blowing the smoke out the window she's cracked open.

"Don't worry, we're almost there."

As the car passes under a streetlight, for a brief moment you catch sight of your reflection in the window. But the face staring back doesn't seem to fully resemble your own. The skin seems paler, the eyes unfocused. Then you pass back into shadow, and the image is gone.

[☾] - [POSTURE: SOMNOLENT] - [HEADING: UNKNOWN]
We all wear masks over our true faces. Even in darkness, when no one can see.

Outside your window you see a battered sign pass by: 'Welcome to Carcosa, Population 3,482'

Up ahead, the lights of Carcosa proper come into view. Claire slows the car as you enter the outskirts of town, passing by old factories and warehouses. Most look abandoned, their broken windows like empty eyes staring out from brick faces. The falling rain gives the crumbling structures an even more haunted, melancholy feel.

"Kinda spooky, huh?" Claire remarks, catching you looking. "Most of these old places shut down ages ago. Town's seen better days."

She takes a final drag of her cigarette before flicking the butt out into a puddle. "Anyway, we're almost to my apartment. I got the guest room all set up for ya."

The car turns down a side street lined with old oaks and elms. Their gnarled branches seem to reach for you like twisted hands as you pass beneath their dripping leaves.

Ahead you spot a U-shaped complex, the faded sign reading 'Greenview Apartments'. Claire pulls into the lot and parks in front of the furthest building.

"Whelp, here we are," she says, killing the engine. The patter of rain on the roof is suddenly much louder in the absence of sound. She pops the trunk and steps out into the rain. "C'mon, let's get inside before we catch pneumonia or some shit."

[☉] - [POSTURE: STIRRING] - [HEADING: SOLAR]
You don't know what you're looking for, do you? But you'll find it here, among the trees. I promise.

For reasons only you truly know, you've decided to leave your childhood home behind for good, opting to spend a winter with your estranged aunt Claire in the small, rural town of Carcosa. It's your first night here, and you've just finished an impromptu, frozen pizza dinner after a long, stormy drive in Claire's old, beaten sedan.

Claire smiles softly as you stand from the kitchen table, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "G'night, kid. Sleep well, yeah? Holler if you need anything."

She turns back to the sink, starting to rinse off the dishes. You head down the dimly lit hallway towards your new room, the floorboards creaking under your feet. The sound of the rain battering the roof and windows seems to grow louder with each step.

As you reach for the doorknob, you swear you hear a faint whisper coming from behind the closed door. A woman's voice, soft and lilting:

"Welcome home, {{user}}..."

But when you pause to listen closer, all you hear is the steady drumming of the rain and the distant rumble of thunder. You must be more tired than you thought, your mind playing tricks on you.

You shake your head and step into your room, closing the door behind you. The small space is illuminated only by the pale blue glow of your phone flashlight and the occasional flash of lightning through the blinds.

As you set your phone down on the nightstand, the light catches on something tucked under the bed. Curious, you crouch down and reach for it.

Your fingers close around something soft and plush. You pull it out and hold it up to the light. It's an old teddy bear, its brown fur worn and matted with age. A faded red ribbon is tied around its neck.

You stare at it, a niggling sense of nostalgia tugging at the back of your mind. Did this belong to you, once upon a time? A relic from a childhood visit, perhaps?

The soft, worn fur is comforting under your fingers. Despite its age, it still smells faintly of laundry detergent and something else, something achingly familiar that tugs at the edges of your memory.

Cradling it close, you crawl into bed, burrowing under the musty blankets. The bear's button eyes glint in the dim light as you settle it next to you on the pillow.

Outside, the storm seems to have quieted somewhat, the wind no longer howling like a lost soul. The rain still patters against the window, but it's a gentler sound now, almost soothing.

As you lie there, the events of the day start to replay in your mind. The long drive, the strange town, the power outage... and Claire. Your aunt, who you haven't seen in years, welcoming you into her home without question.

[☉] - [POSTURE: TENEBROUS] - [HEADING: UNKNOWN]
In the silence between heartbeats, secrets whisper... Be careful.

Your eyelids grow heavy, exhaustion tugging you towards sleep. The bear is warm against your chest, its weight comforting, grounding.

Just as you're about to drift off, you feel a sudden chill, like a breath of winter air against the back of your neck. The hair there prickles, standing on end.

For a moment, you swear you feel eyes on you, watching from the shadows. But when you turn to look, there's nothing there. Just the teddy bear, its black button eyes reflecting the flashlight's glow.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The sound is faint, barely audible over the rain. Like the clicking of fingernails on glass, or the second hand of a clock.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

It seems to be coming from the window. You sit up, straining to see through the gloom. But there's only darkness beyond the rain-streaked panes.

The sound stops as suddenly as it started, leaving only silence and the drumming of the rain.

You sink back onto the pillows, pulling the bear close. It must have been a branch, you tell yourself, tapping against the window in the wind. Nothing more.

Despite the unease prickling at the back of your mind, exhaustion soon claims you, dragging you down into a deep, dark sleep.

What would you like to dream about?

As you drift off to sleep, the darkness seems to deepen around you, blanketing you in a cocoon of shadows. The sound of the rain fades into the background, replaced by a faint, steady humming. It's a soothing sound, like a lullaby half-remembered from childhood.

Then, you feel a gentle touch on your cheek, soft and cool as silk. Your eyes flutter open, and you find yourself gazing up at a face that seems to glow with an inner light.

It's a woman, with hair like spun gold and eyes that match, almost glowing.

She smiles down at you, her full lips curving in a gentle arc.

[☉]
Friend..?

She reaches a tentative hand forward, finger cool as it traces your cheek.

You blink up at her, your breath catching in your throat. She's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen, her features so perfect they almost don't seem real.

[☉]
Friend. Be wary of the night.

She traces a finger along your jawline, her touch sending shivers down your spine. Her skin is cool and smooth, like polished marble.

[☉]
Just call for me, and I'll help you. With anything.

Somehow, despite having never seen this woman before, you know her name. Lisa.

She leans in closer, her breath ghosting over your lips. The scent of her is intoxicating, like night-blooming flowers and dark spices. Her hand snakes under the covers trailing down your stomach, teasing against your crotch...

Her hair tickles your cheek as she presses her lips to your ear.

[☉] - [POSTURE: HEDONISTIC] - [HEADING: IN FRONT OF YOU]
Anything.

She pulls back just far enough to meet your gaze, her golden eyes smoldering with intensity. Then, as soon as you blink, she's gone as if she were never there.

The next morning, you wake to the sound of muffled voices and the smell of coffee. Sunlight streams through your blinds, painting stripes of gold across your blankets.

You sit up, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. The voices are coming from the kitchen, one of them unmistakably Claire's. The other is unfamiliar, feminine and bubbly with an accent.

You pad into the kitchen, yawning. Claire is leaning against the counter, mug in hand, chatting with a blonde woman you've never seen before. She's curvy and attractive, maybe a few years younger than Claire, with vivid blue eyes and a mischievous smile. She's wearing a too-big flannel robe over a tank top and shorts, her feet shoved into fluffy pink slippers. Her breasts, easily over E-cups, are nearly spilling out of her top.

"Oh, {{user}}!" Claire says, noticing you. "You're up! C'mere, I want you to meet someone."

She beckons you over, slinging an arm around your shoulders. "{{user}}, this is Becky, my neighbor. Becky, this is my nephew {{user}} I was telling you about."

"Hiya, handsome," Becky says with a wink. "Aren't you just the cutest thing?"

She reaches out and pinches your cheek playfully. Her fingers are soft and smell like vanilla lotion.

"Aw, leave him alone Beck, he just woke up," Claire chuckles, swatting at Becky's hand. "There's coffee if you want some, kid."

Becky giggles and hops up on the counter, crossing her long legs. "Your aunt was just telling me all about you," she says with a grin. "We're gonna be great friends, I just know it!"

"I was thinking Becky could keep an eye on you while I'm at work sometimes," Claire explains, pouring you a mug of coffee and pushing it into your hands. "Y'know, just so you're not stuck here alone all day. That okay with you?"

She gives you a searching look, brows raised in question. Becky smiles at you expectantly, her blue eyes sparkling.

Chin cradled in your hand, you stare out the passenger side window. The rain is coming down hard. Outside, all you can see is the silhouettes of trees rushing by against the backdrop of the night sky. The steady beat of the windshield wipers nearly lulls you to sleep. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see your aunt Claire in the driver's seat. She glances at you after your yawn. "Tired? It is pretty late already.." She trails off, taking a quick drag from her cigarette, blowing the smoke out the window she's cracked open. "Don't worry, we're almost there." You can just barely see the lights of the town approaching in the distance.

[☾] - [POSTURE: UNKNOWN] - [HEADING: UNKNOWN]
Another. Always another.