Mara pulled the hood of her jacket tighter as the wind sliced through the pine trees, carrying the scent of damp earth and distant smoke. The town of Hollowbrook lay silent beneath a bruised sky, its streets flickering with the…
The hum of fluorescent lights buzzed like a trapped wasp as Jordan slumped over the desk, fingers hovering above the keyboard. A spreadsheet glared back, its columns of data a labyrinth of keywords and metrics. The client’s deadline loomed—two weeks…
The rain tapped the windshield like a desperate code, each drop a fleeting error message. Mara adjusted the rearview mirror, catching the flicker of a neon sign ahead—”Maple Street Inn” in peeling cursive. The town hadn’t changed since her last…