It was a crisp afternoon in the village, the kind of day when the sunlight sparkled on the surface of the artificial lake and everything seemed ordinary. I had gone out for a simple walk, the kind that usually clears your mind, lets you think without interruption, and gives a small break from the quiet hum of life. But that afternoon, the ordinary transformed into something unsettling, a moment that lingers in my memory like a shadow refusing to fade.
From a distance, I noticed it first: a dark, circular shape floating near the center of the lake. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks, a product of sunlight bouncing off the water or a reflection of the trees. But as I drew closer, the shape became more distinct, more deliberate in its presence. My heartbeat quickened. A cold ripple of unease ran down my spine.
