Page 15 of Silent Neighbor

He sighed again, wondering why he was even here. Perhaps he should take the day off, step back and regroup. It had already been an eventful morning, after all. The memory of Jake Pearson's face, frozen in that final moment of realization, flashed through his mind. Yes, maybe a break would be wise.

But then something caught his eye, stopping him in his tracks. A young man, probably in his early twenties, was perched precariously on the edge of a cliff. But instead of focusing on his safety, on the sanctity of the moment, he was holding a camera at arm's length, his face split in a wide grin as he spoke animatedly to his unseen audience.

"What's up, adrenaline junkies?" the vlogger said, his voice carrying clearly in the still air. "Your boy ThrillSeeker23 here, about to take on Death Drop Cliff! They say this bad boy has claimed three lives already. Well, let's see if we can make it four!"

Raven felt his blood run cold, then hot with rage. His eyes hardened as he watched the young man laugh at his own joke, completely oblivious to the gravity of his words, of his actions. This... this was exactly why he did what he did. This blatant disrespect, this mockery of the very forces they claimed to revere.

Raven dropped his cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath his heel. ThrillSeeker23. Another one who didn't understand, who treated life and death as a game for likes and subscribers. Well, perhaps he needed a lesson. A demonstration of just how quickly the game could turn deadly serious.

Raven turned away from the scene, his decision made. He wouldn't be taking the day off after all. No, there was work to be done. A message to be sent. And this time, he would make sure it was heard loud and clear.

As he walked back to his car, Raven's fingers once again found the frayed rope bracelet. He remembered the day it had nearly killed him, the moment he'd felt the fibers giving way beneath his weight. He remembered the rush of wind as he fell, the certainty that death awaited him at the bottom of that cliff.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans for him. He'd survived, battered and broken, but alive. And in those long, painful months of recovery, he'd had an epiphany. He'd been given a second chance, yes, but not just to live.

He'd been chosen for a greater purpose.

Raven slid back into his car, his eyes once again finding ThrillSeeker23 through the windshield. The young man was now setting up his climbing gear, still talking animatedly to his camera. Such carelessness, such disrespect for the forces he was about to challenge.

Raven settled back against the headrest, waiting.

And planning.

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