The Softest Kind of Ruin

She passed the same storefronts, the same chipped lampposts, the same faces-college students laughing over coffee, joggers pounding pavement wit

ring like a whispered welcome. The scent of aged paper and pine-wood she

him the air of someone who had long made peace with the quiet rhythm of days like this."Morning," she replied with a small nod, placing her bag beneath the counter before h

r hovered near the comics shelf, occasionally glancing over his shoulder like he didn't want to be seen there. An

s it alway

mo

pieces: Colonel Street, Vane, Assassin. Her hands moved through the books by muscle memo

he told herself

t her. The subtle shift in the air

are, how it had locked onto hers like a spotlight. It hadn't

ckened. There was a static hum beneath the quiet music playing over the store's speakers,

something she could no longer ignore. She was sorting returned books near the back when the bell above th

was

from y

harp, unreadable, and disturbingly calm. Time seemed to slow. Her fingers stilled on the book she hel

eerie stillness. Even the soft music seemed to fade into silence. He moved through the shelves, seemingly browsing-but not re

in her told her to be still, to not draw attention. And yet, he already knew she was watching him too. The minutes st

si

l jingled softly as he stepped out, and the door shut behind him

as g

feeling

her hands. The silence around her buzzed. H

ew-knew-this was

ed in. He hadn't

come

gled and heavy. The normalcy of the day had shattered,

being

being

n't just paranoia. Th

only the

══════

ms som

half-forgotten melody, quiet as a dream dissolving in water

t once. In a mirror. With

, almost. But not e

══════

the shape o

rled when she read, the way she traced t

d a weapon. Hands that c

touching his face. Not o

ght unmo

══════

ried

rtment. No one c

he

r back to the cabinet, knees pulled to her chest

eathe for a

t the city. Took another job. Killed four men

sleep, s

══════

rted r

Books. The kind she lik

tries. Because she understands them. Because so

she might