Whale Fall

*This work contains numerous elements that may trigger trauma or discomfort, and features unethical and sensitive themes such as coercion, confinement, murder, and gaslighting. Please exercise caution while reading. Please be advised that the author's personal beliefs are not reflected in this work. The grip tightening around my palm was cold, devoid of warmth. Since it was summer, such coldness should have been welcome, but instead, it felt repulsive. It was clearly a human hand, yet it felt like touching a can of soda that had been left in the refrigerator for a long time. Perhaps this was his way of asserting dominance. Maybe he had been clutching ice or soaking his hand in cold water in...