Teodor’s footsteps barely stirred the dry leaves scattered along the riverbank. The weight of his recent dismissal pressed down on him like a stone tied to his chest. Years as a dedicated doctor, countless sleepless nights spent saving lives, all erased in an instant by a cruel mistake he didn’t commit. Now, unemployed and shunned, he sought refuge in the quiet of the river, a place untouched by the harsh judgments of the world.
As he wandered, lost in his thoughts, two figures caught his eye. They stood close together near the water’s edge—a man and a woman—talking in hushed, urgent tones. Their posture was tense, their clothes too immaculate for fishermen or casual visitors. A large pickup truck was parked nearby, its engine off but still humming faintly.
Teodor considered crossing to the other side, but then the language they spoke sliced through the air, familiar and unmistakable. It was a tongue he’d studied in university, a language of secrets and shadows. His heart quickened, but he masked his understanding, pretending to be absorbed in adjusting his worn boots.
“The stone… where will we find it?” the woman whispered, her voice sharp with frustration.
“Herman, I warned you—this should have been loaded in the car,” the man muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We can’t risk it here.”
Teodor’s mind raced. What stone? What cargo? The urgency in their words was real, but why cloak their conversation in a language not native to this place?
He turned slightly, feigning indifference. Suddenly, the woman’s eyes met his. For a brief second, suspicion and recognition flashed between them. Teodor’s pulse hammered as he pretended to look away.
Then, a muffled sound came from the pickup’s trunk—a faint, desperate voice trying to break free. Teodor froze, every instinct screaming that something terrible was hidden there. He quickened his pace, the sounds behind him growing quieter but no less sinister.
Questions flooded him: Was someone trapped? Was he witnessing a crime too dark to confront? The river flowed beside him, silent witness to yet another secret that only it could keep.
With a clenched jaw and racing heart, Teodor knew his life had just taken a turn far more dangerous than losing a job. Now, the choice was clear—turn away and stay safe, or step into the darkness and risk everything to uncover the truth.