Time dragged.

  I wasn’t counting the seconds, but I could feel each one.

  Long, stretched-out moments that passed with the steady rhythm of my breathing, the occasional shift of my weight from one foot to the other, and the distant hum of energy vibrating through the air like a warning.

  The portal hadn’t calmed.

  If anything, it had gotten worse.

  The pressure in the air had turned dense, like walking through molasses, and the crackling sound of raw power pulsing from the tear in space was more than just noise, it was felt.

  Deep in my bones, humming beneath my skin.

  The world near the portal felt thinner, more fragile, like it could be ripped apart at any moment.

  Still… no one came.

  No high-ranking hunter.

  No backup.

  Just the same three soldiers, stationed like brittle statues, pretending like they had control over the situation when it was obvious to anyone paying attention that they didn’t.

  I could tell they were losing patience.

  Or maybe it was hope.

  I didn’t blame them.

  The soldier who’d walked with me kept shifting his stance, arms crossed tight over his chest, lips pressed into a line.

  The other two weren’t much better, tension in their shoulders, low voices exchanged like they thought I couldn’t hear them.

  If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  They looked at me when they thought I wasn’t watching.

  Whispered.

  Glanced toward the portal, then back at me, over and over.

  Probably trying to decide what to do.

  I didn’t care.

  They’d made their choice when they stalled.

  I wasn’t going to stand here all day pretending to care about their silent deliberation or their nervous glances.

  My job was simple, I answered the call.

  I came.

  I waited.

  If they didn’t want help, that was on them.

  Another surge rolled off the portal like a wave of static heat, and this time, even the soldiers flinched.

  One of them let out a low curse, barely audible over the rising hum of the portal’s energy.

  The very air around it seemed to shimmer now, warping slightly, like it was cutting into the fabric of existence itself.

  I sighed quietly and reached into my coat, fingers brushing against the smooth surface of my ID.

  Not because I was going to show it again, but because I was done.

  This wasn’t worth standing in the open for any longer.

  If they wanted to wait until something crawled out of that rift and tore them apart before admitting they were in over their heads, then they could do that without me.

  I'd find somewhere to crash, somewhere away from this mess.

  Somewhere I didn’t have to stand like a fool under a sky that felt like it was about to split open.

  As I turned slightly, already preparing to walk away, I caught them whispering again.

  No doubt trying to decide if they should stop me, beg me to stay, or continue pretending they had this under control.

  They hadn’t made a move yet, and that told me everything.

  They were scared.

  Hesitating.

  Hoping someone stronger would magically show up and make the problem disappear.

  I didn’t blame them for being afraid.

  But I wasn’t going to wait here until their indecision got someone killed.

  I didn’t say a word as I stood.

  No goodbyes.

  No final looks.

  Just a simple motion, quiet, deliberate, as I dusted off my jacket and turned my back on the portal and the soldiers who didn’t know what they wanted.

  Their hushed whispers continued behind me, fading with each step I took.

  I didn’t care what conclusion they eventually came to.

  I’d waited long enough.

  If disaster struck, it wouldn’t be on me.

  The energy of the portal still pulsed in the air, brushing against my back like a storm just waiting to explode.

  But I didn’t look back.

  I walked.

  The path was uneven, dry dirt littered with loose gravel, and the setting sun cast long shadows that danced with each breeze.

  Trees lined the road like silent sentinels, their leaves swaying gently, untouched by the growing tension near the portal.

  The further I got, the quieter everything became.

  It was peaceful.

  And I hated how much I appreciated that.

  But unfortunately, the peace didn't last long.

  "Oh damnit..."

  Click here to join