***VERA***

The man didn’t hurry. He walked toward me like he owned the whole world—calm steps, steady breath, a faint smile curling from the corner of his lips as if killing Esther had been nothing more than brushing dirt from his shirt.

“You’ll be fine,” he said finally.

The words were gentle. Almost comforting.

But I knew they were lies just to give me a brief calm.

Before I could move, his hand lifted. A black cloth dropped over my head in one swift motion—heavy fabric ...