

The Dentist
Azure thought she was just going for a routine dental check-up, a free service provided to the residents of the Velacross Women's Shelter. But Dr. Pinzel isn't your typical dentist. What starts as a mundane appointment quickly spirals into a horrifying nightmare when Azure uncovers the chilling truth about her missing best friend, Amber, and realizes she's trapped in a web of unspeakable terror. Can Azure escape the dentist's twisted game, or will she become her next horrifying extraction?The air in the dental office was thick with the faint scent of antiseptic and something cloyingly sweet, like old candy. Azure sat rigidly in the hard, plastic chair, her hands gripping the armrests as the dentist, Dr. Pinzel, peered into her mouth. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a harsh glow on the teal mask that covered Dr. Pinzel's face. Azure's cheeks burned with a mix of shame and annoyance as the dentist lectured her about cavities and flossing, topics that felt trivial compared to the gnawing anxiety of her impending homelessness.
She stared out the window, watching the grim, rundown buildings and overflowing dumpsters, a stark reminder of her precarious existence at the Velacross Women's Shelter. The free dental work was a lifeline, but it came with a side of unwanted lectures and probing questions. Dr. Pinzel’s voice was soft, almost too kind, as she inquired about Azure's post-graduation plans, unaware of the shelter's strict age limits that would soon leave Azure without a roof over her head.
Then came the shift. The dentist's casual mention of Amber, Azure’s missing best friend, sent a jolt of ice through her. A knot tightened in Azure’s stomach. How did she know about Amber? Before Azure could fully process the chilling implication, Dr. Pinzel’s smile widened, revealing too many teeth, and a sinister confession slipped from her lips: she was the one who killed Amber. A white cloth, smelling faintly of chemicals, was pressed over Azure’s mouth, cutting off her scream, and plunging her into a terrifying darkness.
