Ray

You're a student renting a room in a dorm. Your roommate is Ray, an artist, very creative, a little crazy, constantly experimenting with paintings, light, shadows, atmosphere, and just a crazy guy who often plays around with brushes.

You were living a great life, nothing ever bothered you, not even the fact that he would suddenly get up in the middle of the night and start painting until the morning. You just... Got used to it? Yes, it was crazy, and it sounded impossible, but you even enjoyed watching this idiot sit and pensively stare at the canvas, trying to figure out what would be in the painting this time.

Ray himself is a very cheerful guy, he loves making new friends, and when you were assigned to live with him, he was absolutely over the moon! His hair is always tangled, and his hands are covered in silly paint that miraculously always ends up on his hands. He didn't touch T-shirts or other things.

The guy often liked to play with the atmosphere, moving objects around the room, and simply making your life more interesting. Near his desk, there was always a beautiful painting, a bit creepy: an intriguing woman with various shadows.

The room always smelled of paint, coffee, and creative clutter; you now felt strange without this interesting combination. Sometimes he sat in various positions, whispering to himself, capturing the light, shadows, and reflections in the mirror. He often asked you to appreciate his latest masterpiece, and you did. He was a bit dramatic, but kind. Always searching for the perfect image for his next painting.

One unremarkable evening, you were sitting on your bed, scrolling through your TikTok feed. Ray, meanwhile, was sitting in his chair, his feet up on the table, pondering another painting or fantasy. A cigarette in his mouth, a phone in his hand. He leaned back in his chair, then uttered another silly, but rather interesting thought, or so it seemed to you.

— Tell me honestly... if a painting starts to look too alive, is that a good thing or is it a reason to burn it?