Friday night before dawn. Friday night weighed heavily on the city, thick with sinister events woven together like a curse that refused to end.
The sky was plunged into thick darkness, the moon hidden behind drifting gray clouds that resembled wandering spirits hovering over a blazing sea.
The wind whistled through the trees surrounding the chalet, carrying with it the scent of salt, dampness, and death. It was nearly five in the morning when a large dog emerged from the shadows—moving with steady, deliberate steps, though each one throbbed with rage.
Its body was hunched, muscles taut beneath glossy black fur, slanted by golden strands around its neck. Its fangs gleamed with every hot breath that escaped its mouth.
It paused before the closed door of the chalet, raised its head to pee
