The red dot wavered slightly, tracing an unsteady path over the folds of her jacket before settling just above her heart. Her breath caught halfway in her throat as the atmosphere thickened with tension. The chill in the air seemed to bite deeper, sharpening her senses as her mind began to race.

The streets were eerily quiet. Even the faint buzz and hum of the streetlights seemed to have faded, swallowed by the oppressive silence.

Shadows stretched unnaturally long, spilling over sharp corners and into the labyrinth of mysterious alleyways. Somewhere out there, invisible yet watching, was a sniper.

A bead of sweat slid down her temple. She knew better than to move. One wrong step, one twitch too many, and it would be over.

Her eyes darted toward the darkened windows, searching for the telltale glint of metal. She scanned upward, toward the towering silhouettes of the buildings, hoping to catch sight of the sniper’s sharp, predatory gaze. But all she found was the yawning blackness of the night and the ominous stillness of the shadows.

The red dot shifted, gliding down her chest before returning to its mark. It felt deliberate, like the sniper was toying with her. Mocking her.

A spark of anger ignited in her chest, momentarily eclipsing the fear. If she could locate the hunter, maybe she stood a chance.

Then she heard it—a faint, almost imperceptible creak from a nearby rooftop. Her stomach clenched, and she swallowed hard, her muscles locking into place.

The red dot vanished.

Her breath hitched. The silence, once unsettling, now became unbearable. Relief should have washed over her, but it didn’t. Her instincts screamed danger. The absence of the dot wasn’t mercy. It was a warning.

She took a cautious step back, then another, her movements slow and deliberate. The moment stretched, taut and suffocating, until—

The crack of a rifle shattered the night.

Something struck the wall behind her, sending shards of brick and dust flying. She threw herself to the ground, rolling behind a rusted dumpster as her heart pounded wildly in her chest. Fear gripped her, wrapping around her every nerve like ice.

The game had begun. And the hunter wasn’t finished yet