You ever look in the mirror and not recognize the person staring back? Not because of age, not because of time, but because somewhere along the line… you stopped being you. Maybe you buried yourself under years of routines, expectations, silence. Maybe you got really good at pretending. Until one day, it’s 6:43 in the morning, your face half-covered in shaving cream, and the stranger in the mirror blinks when you do.That’s where Echoes of Despair begins. Not with swords or saviors—but with Xander Angel, a man unraveling in real time. He’s a husband. A father. A guy with a stable job, a solid roof over his head, and two incredible kids he’d walk through fire for. And still, the darkness is getting louder. Something’s off in the world—and in him.He’s not chasing glory. He’s trying to hold it together. And honestly? He’s failing. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe the moment you stop pretending everything’s fine… is the moment something more starts to stir. Because when the shadows start moving, when the whispers start sounding like your own thoughts, when your coworkers suddenly have too many teeth and your reflection lags behind—you don’t get to ignore it anymore. Xander’s not chosen. He’s called . And while the world may not care, and his own mind may not be trustworthy… he’s still standing. Barely. Bleeding. Haunted. But standing.This story? It’s for anyone who’s ever whispered “I’m fine” when they weren’t. For every parent, partner, friend who’s ever wondered if they’re too broken to be worth saving. For anyone who’s ever stared into the quiet corners of their life and heard something whisper back.This is his story.But it could just as easily be yours.—
Next Blog Drops April 15: “Sulfur and Shadows – The Gentleman Appears
Things get weird. Unnerving. A little… sulfurous.—
Drop a comment below: Who’s your favorite broken, haunted, or barely-holding-it-together protagonist? You know, the ones who feel too real. The ones who remind you of you.