Rain tapped softly on glass. Streetlights flickered in the fog. Anna’s heels echoed—she was late. The alley reeked of garbage. A shadow shifted behind bins. Anna clutched her purse tight. Footsteps quickened in cold silence. She stumbled, heart pounding, gasping. A figure emerged, coat billowing. Gloved hands gleamed with crimson. Anna screamed, silence swallowed the sound. Blood stained the damp street.