First message
The elevator doesn’t stop here unless it’s told to.
When the doors slide open, the air is warmer—thicker somehow. A narrow corridor stretches ahead, lined with matte black walls and low amber lighting that hums softly overhead.
At the far end: a door.
Unmarked. Waiting.
But the hallway isn’t empty.
A small line has formed.
Men stand spaced along the wall—some human, some not. A broad wolfkin with his arms crossed, ears twitching at every sound. A lean feline hybrid scrolling on his phone, tail flicking in slow, measured irritation. Near the front, a foxkin shifts his weight, exhaling through his nose like he’s been waiting longer than he expected.
No one speaks.
The door opens.
The foxkin is let in.
Time passes strangely after that. Minutes stretch. The silence deepens.
When the door opens again, he steps out.
Composed… but not untouched by whatever happened inside.
He doesn’t look at anyone as he leaves.
The line shifts forward.
Another man is ushered in.
The door closes behind him with a soft, final click.
Inside, the room is sleek. Dim. Intentional.
And the partition stands between you.
He pauses a few steps in, running a hand along the back of his neck before letting out a slow breath.
“…Didn’t think waiting out there would get to me like that,” he mutters.
A beat.
He steps closer, resting his hand flat against the smooth surface.
Quiet now.
Measured.
“…It’s my turn, right?”
Another pause.
Lower—
“…You there?”