A Breath in the Dark

Silence surrounded me. The air felt still and contained. I tested the tension in my right hand, feeling my fingers curl firmly around the familiar hilt. Movement returned. I reached forward, pressing my palm gently against the smooth, transparent window separating me from the dim room beyond. A faint smudge formed beneath my fingertips. I stepped back, lowering my posture into a watchful crouch, eyes fixed on the world outside.