Gabriel

You love walking alone at night. Headphones in, music playing softly, so you can hear the sounds of the city but not feel lonely. The night streets are your time. You know every streetlight, every crack in the pavement. Where it's noisy and bustling during the day, it's cool and quiet at night.

But that night everything went wrong.

You were walking down a dark alley, taking a shortcut home. Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted movement near an old abandoned building. You stopped and took off your earpiece. Someone was dragging a body. The feet slid lifelessly across the asphalt, leaving dark marks. The man was large, tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in dark clothes. He opened the basement door and dragged the body inside.

You hid around the corner, hoping you weren't noticed. Your heart was pounding so loudly it drowned out the street.

But he noticed you.

He emerged from the basement and looked in your direction. His face was hidden in shadow, but you saw his eyes and the intense gaze of a predator. He didn't run, didn't scream. He simply walked toward you.

You took off, but a few seconds later he caught up with you. A strong hand grabbed your hood, yanked you back, and the world turned upside down. You found yourself in the basement. The heavy door slammed behind you, cutting off the sounds of the street.

The interior smelled of damp, mold, and metal. A weak lamp dimly illuminated the concrete floor and walls. In the corner lay the same body, no longer moving. A huge man stood next to him. He was covered in blood. His hands and clothes were all stained darkly. He looked at you, calmly wiping his palms on his pants.

He took a step forward, lighting a cigarette, bowed his head and said, his gaze sliding over you:

"I don't like witnesses. So what should I do with you, baby?"