Beyond the silent Ridge

I'd be one of them. Not until the day I opened that envelope-thick parchment, yel

: Charles E. Granger. My grand

ap, was a single note, n

t Ridge, truth wa

war veteran, a mechanic, and toward the end of his life, something of an explorer. Quiet. Stern

st nostalgia. It was a call. And I answered it the only way I knew how-by

u're serious?" he asked,

week. Maybe

f your 'spiritual awakenings'?" he

it was about. "Send me the coordinat

t trip together. Derek had retired from active duty and hadn't touched a weapon since. Samir had gotten

And a compass in my chest

giants, boots crunching dry leaves, breath visible in the crisp air. Every step pu

third day that

ilent

seemed to vanish into mist. The air changed. Not colder. Just... heavier. And silent.

Will asked, holding

rek muttered.

trees sto

mitting the unease in our chests. That night, as we

ht about this valley," he

d him. "And my gra

t by blue flame, and voices whispering my name across water. I didn't tell them how I'

they might have th

aybe

ng, we'd cli

ut what lay on