The alley was narrow.
The woman had backed up against the wall.
Her hands were trembling.
One entered.
He looked at the scene.
Then lowered his eyes.
Something was glinting on the ground.
A card.
He bent down and picked it up.
"Ah!"
His face lit up.
"Ma'am, you dropped this."
The woman stared at him, shocked.
— Behind you!
One turned around.
Two men.
Too close.
Too calm.
They stared at him.
— Are you serious, kid?
One smiled at them, politely.
"Sorry, I just wanted to return her card."
The air changed.
Not violently.
Subtly.
As if a mysterious presence was there.
The men shivered.
— …did you feel that?
— Yeah.
The woman retreated further.
One held out the card.
"Here."
She took it, not taking her eyes off the men.
One of them shouted.
— Let's go.
They backed away.
Not because One was looking at them.
But because something else was looking at them.
When they disappeared around the corner of the alley, the shadow remained.
It detached itself from the wall.
Thin. Distorted.
Not human.
One tilted his head.
"Did you lose something, too?"
The shadow trembled.
The alley seemed to stretch.
The woman stifled a cry.
One stepped in front of her, still smiling.
"Ah… I understand."
He raised his hand.
Not to attack.
Just to say stop.
The shadow folded in on itself.
Then dissipated, like a breath being drawn back in.
The alley became an alley again.
One turned around.
"There."
The woman fell to her knees.
— Th-thank you…
One smiled.
"You're welcome. Be careful with your things."