Liora woke to the chaos of the street. Traffic roaring, footsteps pounding the pavement, and merchants yelling for attention. Every muscle ached as she sat up, headache pulsing behind her eyes.

Yesterday was mostly a blur. What she did remember, though, was getting into a fight with someone over a piece of jewelry she stole. She guessed they beat her up pretty badly, judging from the bruises and cuts on her arms. Afterwards, she must’ve crawled under a deck, where she was now, and passed out.

Life on the streets meant constant survival. Not just hunger, but always watching her back. Some people chased her for what she stole; others just wanted trouble. Most dangerous of all were the ones she called the Silent Watchers, a group that seemed to find her no matter where she ran.

Liora quickly shoved the thought of them out of her mind. That was the last thing she needed to think about right now.

Swallowing back the pain, Liora crawled out from under the deck, blinking against the harsh morning light. Head pounding, she braced herself on a fencepost while the dizziness faded.

She found herself on a roughly cut lawn. The property was at the edge of the street, where cars roared past every few seconds. The stores were just beginning to open for the morning, and a few street hagglers walked across the sidewalk, hoping to ambush the next pedestrian. It seemed like an ordinary, everyday scene. But the apprehension tingling her skin said otherwise.

Trying desperately to fix her hair and look more presentable, Liora waited for an opening before crossing the street. Each breath created a plume of fog in front of her, mist coating every window and lawn. Her mind wandered as she walked, replaying the scenes she thought about every day.

Her family, sitting around a small dining table, laughing at what each other had said. Their faces warm, smiles lighting up the room.

“Liora, could you say Blessing?” her mother had asked, and six-year-old Liora blinked back from her daze.

“I…uh, okay,” She mumbled, saying a hasty, nervous blessing, before going back to staring out the window.

There was a moment of silence, then her dad asked, “What do you see?”

“Nothing,” Liora sighed, turning away. She tried to ignore the urge to look back every few seconds. All she could do was play with her dinner and wait for those mysterious eyes to appear in the window again, as they did every day.

And sure enough, that night, as she glanced at the window again, it was there.

A Silent Watcher.

She only saw its glowing, golden eyes. The rest of it disappeared into the night, like a snake blending into the jungle grass. It was unblinking, unfeeling, unmoving.

She trembled in her bed, pulling the covers up to hide her face. Yet, she still felt the eyes watching her. Finally, she couldn’t take the apprehension anymore, after living with it for weeks.

Slipping out of the comfort of her bed, she stepped into a pair of shoes and hastily got ready. It wasn’t long before she had a small backpack full of clothes and other necessities, the load agonizingly heavy on her tiny shoulders.

She didn’t want to leave. Not in the slightest. But what would the Silent Watcher do when it finally decided to strike? Which member of the family would it drag down with her? No, she couldn’t leave her family with this risk, unknown to them. It would be better if she just slipped out quietly and found somewhere away from the monsters. Somewhere they could never find her.

As Liora’s mind snapped back to the present, she couldn’t help but bitterly mumble to herself, “I still haven’t found anywhere away from them.”

It had been six years since that incident. Six. But it didn’t matter how far she walked or where she slept. They still discovered her.

Liora was so lost in her thoughts that she barely registered as rough arms grasped her shoulders, and by the time she did, it was too late to do anything about it.

Her scream was covered by a clammy hand as the figure pulled her into the nearest alleyway. She twisted, trying to wrench herself free, but the man’s grip was as strong as iron. Her eyes scanned the face, and she was relieved to see it wasn’t who she was fearing. Instead, it was an old, rugged man, looking to be in his seventies, with matted, unkempt hair and ripped clothes. He didn’t smile as he barked, “Empty your pockets. Now!”

Liora fumbled to do as she was told, not even bothering to fight this time. It wasn’t worth it. Especially since all she had was two dollars and an unopened envelope.

“Quickly!” The man urged her when she hesitated before giving the envelope to him. Not that it would be of any value…well, probably not anyway. She had never actually opened the letter. In fact, she had just found it randomly, shortly after she ran away from home, inside her backpack with her initials printed on it. Very random, very strange…

It almost felt like a trap. That’s why she never opened it, not that she hadn’t been tempted.

Breathing deeply, she held it out, and the man snatched the envelope hungrily. He then scanned her for any more valuables, which she didn’t have.

“Are you hiding anything, girl?” He growled, shaking her shoulders. “Don’t you dare lie to me.”

“I think the question is…” A new voice interrupted, and Liora’s neck snapped to where it had come from. Another man, younger this time, appeared from the shadows. “Are you hiding anything?”

The mugger’s eyes darted from Liora to the stranger. He froze, then with a curse, dropped Liora’s arm, tossed the envelope back at her, and bolted down the alley. There was a moment where all Liora could do was stare at the place he had been, mind racing to register all the new information. Eventually, she stammered out a brief, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, fair lady,” The stranger dipped into a small bow, flashing a bright smile. His dark hair was styled neatly, surprisingly radiant hazel eyes locked upon her.

Liora bit her lip. “I have to go.”

“Wait!” the stranger called as she turned away. She hesitated, wanting to hear him out. “Don’t you at least want to know my name?”

“...sure,” she sighed.

“Patrick. Patrick Lenardo. And you?”

“Liora.”

Patrick grinned. “A pretty name. And where are you headed, Miss Liora? I can’t let a youngster wander the streets alone.”

Liora shrugged. It didn’t matter that this man had saved her. Her mind flashed warning signs, and her gut screamed at her to get away.

There was something off about Patrick.

Maybe it was the arrogant way he smiled, or the hunger in his eyes. But there was something else too…something she just couldn't place.

“I’m not. My home is just a couple of steps away. Now, thank you for…saving me or whatever, but I really have to—”

“I’ll go with you, yes? It’s dangerous out there. Wouldn’t want you to have another unfortunate run-in.”

She shook her head, maybe a little too hard, as she insisted. “No. I’m fine.”

Patrick’s eyes flashed and he seemed to grow at least a few inches, the shadows hovering closer. It only lasted for a moment, however, and Liora tried to convince herself it was a trick of the light. That’s all.

A stupid trick of the light.

She kept staring at him, and her mind kept trying to grasp the familiarity tugging on the back strings of her mind.

Then, the answer came flooding in.

He’s a Silent Watcher.

He’s the Silent Watcher.

The person who made her flee from her loving home. Whose face appeared in every nightmare or dream alike. Who chased her endlessly, town after town.

In truth, there were five different Watchers. Each wore a different coloured robe and had different coloured eyes, though their purpose and terrifying nature were all the same. This one, though, Patrick, was the leader of them all. Liora had never seen him without the cloak or the glowing eyes, but there was no doubt. It was him.

She staggered back, nearly tripping over a trash can. Patrick’s smile faded.

“Don’t run,” Patrick whispered, voice deepening into the one she knew well. His cloak slowly faded onto his figure, the white and gold colours causing her heart to skip a beat. His face disappeared in the mask, and two glowing eyes emerged.

Without thinking, she spun on her heel and sprinted out of the alley. Her shoes slapped the pavement as she dodged past startled pedestrians, ignoring their shouts. She could feel ‘Patrick’ gliding behind her, silent and relentless. It seemed like nobody else could see the Silent Watcher, since their eyes never landed once on him.

But he was there.

“Stop running,” His voice slithered into her mind even as she ran. “This is your fate.”

Liora blinked away terrified tears from her eyes, heading towards the place that seemed like it could truly get her away.

She pushed herself harder, lungs burning, legs aching. She crashed through the airport’s glass doors, weaving desperately through crowds and suitcases. The Watchers, now five of them, swept in behind her, unnoticed by everyone else.

Part of her was tempted to give up. To stop running. It was time she accepted an overdue defeat.

Then her mind flashed back to her family. She had survived six years in the vain hope she could see them again. How much had her little brother grown? Were her mother and father okay? She couldn’t just give up, not now. Not after all these years.

“We have yet to show you our true powers,” Patrick’s voice whispered in her mind. “Should we?”

At the ticket counter, Liora slammed into the rope barrier, gasping. “Please, let me go through,” she pleaded.

The ticket guy blocked her with an arm. “Back of the line, kid.”

“You don’t underst—”

“Back of the line!” The ticket guy grunted, pushing her away. “Waste my time anymore, and I’m calling security.”

Liora bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Squaring her shoulders, she walked more slowly towards the corner of the room. She was going to be caught anyway; might as well spare the other innocent people.

“Good choice,” Patrick was suddenly there, his hand icy-cold as it closed around her wrist. Liora jerked, panic rising, and blurted, “At least tell me your real name.”

He considered her for a second, glancing at the other Silent Watchers before saying, “Semposo.”

Semposo? What kind of name was that?

“Well, tell me, Semposo,” Liora took a deep shuddering breath. “What do you feel?”

With a surge of desperation, Liora drove her heel down onto Semposo’s foot and kneed him hard in the stomach. He doubled over, grip loosening. She ripped her arm free and darted away, ducking behind a tall man and slipping through a gap in the security line.

Ignoring the shouting behind her, Liora pressed herself against the crowd and slipped past a distracted attendant. She ducked behind a family with rolling suitcases, heart pounding, and slipped through the open gate onto the plane. She didn’t look back to see if the Watchers followed, but as she took a seat and the doors closed, she could still feel Semposo’s voice echoing in her head.

“You can run, maybe even hide, little hero. But the mark of death still lies upon you. This is not the escape you think. Rather, it is the fulfillment of your fate, and end.”