Seeing True, Seeing Deep

d beautiful and called them disgusting. A dead pigeon on the sidewalk, its feathers arranged in a delicate fan by the wind, was a masterpiece of texture and quiet color. To eve

ciation of decay, of the things they considered grotesque. They saw the soft smile she gave a gnarled, leafless tree in winter and

the most beautiful one they had made all day, a "sculpture of heat and chance." The customer complained about her "disturbing comments." Her

to her eyes. She had thirty days. The thought of finding a new place filled her with a familiar dread. It meant interviews, inspections, an

walls and polished wood floors. Each one felt like a prison cell. They were all too clean, too perfect, to

ractically free. The picture was blurry, showing a dark, ornate facade with strange, gargoyle-like carvings she found incredibly charming. The descrip

" called to her. Maybe "unique" meant a place where she wouldn't have to pretend. Maybe it was a place full of cracks and imp

colored, and one of its ears was torn. Its fur was matted, its body trembled, and its eyes were wide with a terror that most people would find p

art aching with a strang

r voice soft. "You're the most h

carrot she'd saved from her lunch. She held it out on her palm. The rabbit, Barna

closer. "Get away from that thing! It's probabl

, "Weirdo," as he ga

The rabbit finally nudged the carrot with its nose and began to nibble from her hand. A pure, simple joy bloomed in Luna's chest. This small conne

partment pushed her forward. This was why she needed a home, a place of her own. A place where she

nificent than the picture. It was a gothic structure of dark stone, covered in what looked like weeping vines and intricate, un

young man with a twitchy, nervous energy, his face pale, kept glancing around. A woman in a sharp, red coat stood apart from the others, her arm

e. A sign written in elegant, drippi

d a room is yours. Rule #1: Do not attempt to leave after the trial begins. Rule #

nd of marketing gimmick, a haunted house promotion. "Survive the night?

at, Scarlett, scoffed.

ds. "It's probably just to scare off p

At the same time, a digital display flickered on above the gate, showing a rapidly increasing number next to a

rting! Batch 13! Let's see

Hope the Boss show

in the gray coat is the firs

bets, people! Who gets the

ity. It was a show. A live-streamed survival game. And they were the unwi