Still shaken, Anna dared a glance at the man’s face. It was unchanged, the peaceful mask of death unbroken by any trace of consciousness. Yet the memory of that touch lingered, a cold imprint on her skin that refused to fade.

Anna’s dreams of wealth and adventure seemed suddenly hollow, overshadowed by the chilling reminder of mortality’s inevitable grasp. She had stepped too far into the shadows, and the shadows had reached back, a stark warning against the path she had chosen.