The Killer Beneath the Pines

In middle age, he was suddenly laid off.

Sui Yuandao felt like an overinflated balloon that had suddenly deflated. His soul flew wildly through the void, bumping into things and losing its way.

Everyone on his social media feed seemed happy and fulfilled. As one picture after another slid past, Sui Yuandao's gaze skimmed over them like artificial flowers, devoid of life.

Then a picture of a mushroom popped up.

Sui Yuandao glanced at the poster's nickname, then at the mushroom, and left a comment:

"What kind of mushroom is this?"

Theme: As long as you're alive, there's hope. Even when you're trapped in a dead end, you have to fight.