Close To Obsession: Preview

With an overwhelming amount of votes, I'll be sharing the first few pages of Close To Obsession.

Get ready~

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tw: Suicide

Dark storm clouds roll over the concrete jungle that is New York City—rain pouring down in unrelenting sheets. 

A few people hurry to take cover.

Others hold their briefcases or coats over their heads to avoid getting completely drenched. 

A vain effort on their part. 

One minute of getting caught in this weather unprepared and you’re doomed.

Unlike everyone else, you’ve embraced your fate.

You’re too exhausted to run and the bear costume you're sporting is bogging you down thanks to all the water it's absorbing.  

Every time you try to lift one of your legs, you feel like you've got lead weighing down your insoles. 

Any extra cardio will probably cause you to topple over.

And like a turtle that's fallen on its shell, you too will be fucked and unable to get up if that happens.  

You regret not changing out of your work clothes. 

But what can you do?

This is a result caused by your own lack of forethought. 

You: The consequences of my own actions. 

You mutter to yourself, earning strange looks from other pedestrians.

Not that you can blame them.

You're the crazy person walking around in a bear suit late at night talking to themselves.

Anyone would suspect you're up to something shady. 

Not to mention this costume has deep pockets—perfect for concealing knives as they are for hoarding goodies.

You may have snagged a few things from the snack table while the director was shouting at someone and had his back turned. 

You kinda went overboard.

But you don’t regret it. 

You pat your sides, admiring your haul. 

Another night of instant noodles and you would’ve lost what little sanity you have left. 

At least now you'll have some equally unhealthy alternatives to choose from rather than choking down the same noodles again. 

Not to mention—

You: I can make rent on time this month. 

It's a benefit of abusing the freebie system at your job. 

Not that you hate it or anything.

You're just doing your best to survive while using the few resources you have.

You never really expected to leave Maple Weather —an idyllic town with quaint shops and a tight knit community. 

The residents usually carve lives for themselves in the fields or by taking over their parent owned shops, raising their own children to keep up the age old tradition. 

People who were born in Maple Weather don't usually leave. 

They live and they die there. 

That's just how it is. 

Anyone looking for more becomes an outsider. 

It's why you didn't question the status quo until you returned home from your graduation party and found the entirety of your life stuffed into moving boxes.

They sat stacked neatly on the curb. One box on top of the other like tiny skyscrapers. 

Your parents had also oh-so-graciously changed the locks.  

So you did what anyone would.

You panicked.

Cried.

Realized you were shit out of luck before you finally hurried to scrape together the meager savings from your bank account and headed straight for New York City.

A sardonic smile finds its way to your lips.

You: Oh, if only they could see me now.

you: I've hit my peak in life. I’m a bear who wears and endorses deodorant for commercials.

Choices: 

-“I am truly an actor of my time.”

-”I am truly an actress of my time.”

Self deprecating jokes aside, you've done pretty well for yourself. 

Sure, you aren't famous.

But you were never interested in furthering yourself in the entertainment industry or pursuing acting as a career in the first place. 

Being a background character suits you just fine.

You're satisfied as long as you've got a roof over your head and a full belly. 

There's not much else you could ask for.

You look down at your drenched bear suit and wince. 

Okay, well, maybe I could wish for some dry clothes. 

Lucky for you, you’re almost home.

Your apartment is just a straight shot past the large intersection ahead. 

A small crowd of people wait at the light. 

Sleek cars and taxi cabs zip by, pumping out exhaust in their wake, only for the smoke to dissipate thanks to the rain. 

You shuffle your way towards the front of the crowd, careful not to step on anyone's toes.

The last thing you need is someone screaming at you for scuffing up their Armani shoes and demanding you pay damages. 

You glance up once you stop just shy of the curb.

Much better. 

Now you can at least see the light for yourself. 

As soon as the light turns green, you're booking it to your apartment and tearing off your bear suit. 

A nice, well deserved nap will do you some good. 

You’ll worry about dry cleaning your “work uniform” after. 

Maybe when the rain lets up.

If the neighbors aren’t locked in another screaming match, you’ll consider today an all around good one. 

You shift from foot-to-foot with growing impatience when a tall man wearing a hoodie steals your attention from across the way. 

Is he…staring at me?

You glance around before returning your attention to him again.

Yup. Definitely staring. What's his deal? 

Upon closer inspection, he doesn't appear hostile, but rather oddly serene. 

Like he's a man at peace with himself. 

You squint, noticing he's mouthing words that you can't quite make out. 

What's he trying to say? 

Does he want to talk?

Do you know him from somewhere?

An amused smile tugs at his lips and he shakes his head. 

You're so confused by the interaction that you're not paying attention to the way he steps off the curb…

And plunges himself right into oncoming traffic.