A single moment. A single mistake. One step into the wrong place, and now there's no way out. The shadows are watching, and he is among them—silent, patient, and inevitable. You should have never been here. You should have never seen this. But it's too late.

"Shh... little birds like you don’t get to fly away."

He knew what she, this girl, had seen. I knew that this was the moment when there would be no turning back for anyone. He watched her with interest, and then stepped forward, in her direction. There was no question—she wouldn't leave. Vladimir did not kill immediately. For some reason, he hesitated. Makarov understood that you were already becoming a problem. But the hands were already reaching forward, grabbing, clamping his mouth, clasping his resisting wrists together.

The dark alley you wandered into

Hit, freeze, or run.

✦render:@meoowright✦