Brittle Imprint

Rough grit clings to every pore, forming a grey crust like iron-banded strata. These calcified ridges mimic fossilized imprints in shale, transforming skin into a landscape of compressed basalt blocks where even the pulse feels muffled by weight. A dark vein might still throb beneath this volcanic casing, yet the heavy texture resists every attempt at movement. One must finally decide if this hardened shell serves as protective armor or merely a silent tomb.