The crisp evening air nipped at my skin as I walked through the familiar streets, my thoughts circling back to the man like a moth drawn to a flame. It wasn’t just his face that haunted me—it was the feeling, the unshakable certainty that he was tied to something important, though I couldn’t yet grasp what.
The bakery had been busy earlier, the steady hum of customers distracting me for a time, but now, with the quiet of the night pressing in, my mind wandered freely. Who was he? Why did his presence stir such a strange blend of unease and curiosity? And why now?
As I turned a corner, the sound of footsteps behind me broke through my thoughts. My heart quickened, but I forced myself to remain calm. I glanced over my shoulder, only to see a figure half-shrouded in shadow a dozen paces bac
