David landed in front of the shattered window—and without hesitation, jumped straight into Fiona's apartment.
The room was dim. Several vases were broken. A table was flipped over. Heavy breathing came from behind the curtain to the right—and in the center of the room, a large snake with glistening purple scales slithered aggressively, its tongue flicking as it tasted the air, its body coiling like a living spiral.
But the strangest part…
Fiona was nowhere to be seen.
His eyes swept around—no direct sign of Fiona's presence… until—
Sssshhhh…
David suddenly held his breath. The snake hissed again… but its head started moving toward the corner of the room, toward a dark area near the wardrobe. As if… something was there.
Or someone.
"…Camouflage?" David muttered.
And then he saw it—just a slight distortion in the air, like a thin layer of hot water blurring the view. A subtle movement. Then… a faint glimpse of Fiona's body—her neck, her shoulder, and…
A white tank top.
