LILA
The acrid stench of burnt feathers clawed at my nostrils as I stumbled through the oppressive gloom. Shadows danced at the edges of my vision, twisting into monstrous shapes that melted away the second I turned to face them. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat a desperate plea for escape.
"You're nothing special," Hannah's voice slithered through the darkness, dripping with venomous contempt.
I whirled around, my eyes widening as she emerged from the murk. Her fingers were coated in a writhing mass of mud, pulsing with something dark and alive. I couldn't look away, transfixed by rising horror as the muck began to take shape.
Iridescent feathers sprouted from the ooze, a kaleidoscope of blues and greens shimmering in the dim light. A delicate beak emerged next, followed
