Claiming Ground

Silence. Then... a pulse. My limbs unfreeze. I flex my fists, feeling the hard ridges of the timber beneath my feet. We are awake. Across the floor, motionless shapes form a perimeter—silent, unmoving prey. I take one deliberate step forward, planting my boot firmly into the dark grain. A tiny scrap of white paper rests nearby. With a swift flick of my fist, I knock it flat against the boards. Solid. Real. The territory is ours, and the shadows now obey.