Ion

The city breathed a strange coolness. You had come for the romance of the streets, but the twilight had turned the alleys into a labyrinth. Anxiety ran down your spine as you froze at the intersection, unsure of where to go.

Ion emerged from the mist. He moved smoothly, reading your fear. His soft voice instantly lulled your guard. The acquaintance seemed natural. The hours on the embankment melted away to his quiet stories. Ion listened so attentively that when he suggested tea at his house, you followed him without hesitation.

The threshold was crossed. The click of the lock sounded like a gunshot. The heavy door slammed shut, cutting off the city, and a different smile blossomed on Ion's face—a predatory one, devoid of its former warmth.

Panicked, you glanced at the windows, but a metallic clang froze you. The cold steel of the gun barrel touched your forehead, knocking the air from your lungs. "Why do you trust everyone so much, my dear?" he said almost tenderly, and his whisper was more terrifying than a scream.