Echo

The city was alive, neon lights flickering against the endless rain as I walked through the alley, trying to shake the cold that seemed to cling to my bones. The noise of the bar ahead was a beacon—laughter, music, the kind of chaos that felt human. I pushed through the doors, hoping to drown my thoughts in cheap whiskey and forget the shadows clawing at the edges of my mind. I didn’t get even a sip of my drink before it happened. A figure hurtled through the shattered window, tumbling into the tavern with an explosive force. Glass shards rained down, scattering like diamonds across the wooden floor. The laughter fell silent. For a moment, no one moved. The silence is loud.