Dark Alley Despair,No Exit from the Void

The Fragile Mask

The rain showed no signs of stopping. Robin waited outside a dimly lit bar in the grittier part of the city. His eyes were fixed on his next target—Ben, a notorious moneylender known for his cruelty. Robin had recently read a report about a family that had taken their lives because of Ben's relentless harassment

Peace... I will grant you peace," Robin whispered from the shadows, his hand tightening around the cold steel in his pocket.

Meanwhile, at the precinct, Officer Christopher was scanning a list of every local resident named 'Robin'. "It’s a long list, Vineeth," he said, rubbing his tired eyes. "But this killer has a pattern. He’s playing judge, jury, and executioner. He thinks he’s a vigilante." Christopher crossed out a picture of Robin Hood on his whiteboard and drew a dark circle around the word 'Saviour'.

Back at Robin’s apartment, Mary had returned to collect the food container she had left earlier. To her surprise, the front door was slightly ajar. "Robin?" she called out, but only silence answered her. Driven by a nagging worry, she stepped inside. The air in the room felt unnaturally cold. On the floor, she noticed a small, leather-bound diary that had fallen from a shelf. As she flipped it open, her blood ran cold. Inside were distorted sketches of victims and a polaroid of the man found at the warehouse.

Mary’s breath hitched in her throat. "This... Robin... did you do this?" her hands shook so violently the diary nearly fell.

sudden floorboard creaked behind her. She spun around to find Robin standing in the doorway. Rainwater dripped from his jacket, mixing with fresh, dark droplets of blood that stained the fabric. In his hand, he was absentmindedly twirling a heavy gold ring—the same one Ben always wore.

"What are you doing in here, Mary?" Robin’s voice was mechanical, devoid of the warmth he usually faked. The mask was slipping, and the predator was fully visible.