The pier lay quiet, but TSUF felt the weight of every shadow. The skiff had pulled back, drifting just beyond sight, yet its presence lingered like a warning. He crouched low, toes gripping damp wood, eyes sweeping the edges of the pier.
A faint ripple shifted the water, almost imperceptible. TSUF leaned closer, fingers brushing the wet plank. Something—or someone—moved beneath the surface, testing him.
"Sir?" The laborer's voice was barely audible.
TSUF didn't answer. He only nodded toward the edge. Observation first. Action second. Breath steady. Heart steady. Every step measured.
A loose rope twitched, water dripping from its frayed end. TSUF's eyes followed it, noting the subtle rhythm of the tide. The currents carried messages, some visible, some hidden. Misreading them could mean disaster.
A shadow flickered behind a stack of crates. TSUF pivoted quickly, muscles coiled, eyes narrowing. Nothing. Only the play of sunlight across wet wood and the faint shiver of movement beneath.
The laborer swallowed. "I—I think… it's gone?"
TSUF shook his head slowly. "Not gone. Waiting. Watching. Always watching."
A sudden splash echoed from the water's edge. TSUF crouched lower, eyes locked on the ripples. The skiff was near, closer than it should have been. The tide shifted violently, tossing small debris against the pier. His pulse quickened.
He inhaled, muscles taut, senses stretched to the edge. Every plank, every shadow, every ripple mattered. Step by step. Breath by breath. Ready for whatever emerged next.
And then—the water moved again, darker, heavier, as if concealing something impossible. TSUF's eyes widened. The pier was no longer safe.