Silent Fires

Morning seeped slowly through the dirty windows of Elena’s apartment, bringing with it a pale, somber light.

The city seemed just as restless, but for Elena, everything had stopped that night at Warehouse 17.

She stood by the window, a nearly cold cup of coffee in her hands, watching raindrops trail down the glass in fine streams.

Her thoughts were a tangled mess of unanswered questions and fears she couldn’t voice aloud.

Her phone vibrated on the table. A message from the newsroom: “Where are you? Do you have the material?”

Elena knew no one was supposed to find out what she had done. Not even Laura, her closest colleague, with whom she shared secrets and long coffees at the office.

But she knew something else too: everything had changed.

Taking a deep breath, she sat at her desk and opened her laptop. On the screen, a blank page waited for the words that would unlock a trove of hidden truths.

— How do I start? she murmured, typing slowly.

⸻

A Day at the Newsroom

The newsroom buzzed like an anthill — people, phones ringing, shouted orders, tired laughter.

Elena slipped through the crowd without a word. Laura spotted her immediately:

— Hey, Elena, where were you last night? The boss wants your article, deadline’s today!

— I was… busy, she answered curtly.

Laura didn’t press further, but her worried glance said it all. Elena knew she’d have to keep lying. And she was good at it.

⸻

The Confrontation

That afternoon, Elena’s phone buzzed again. An unknown number.

A calm voice, but barely masked threat in its tone:

— Stop digging. Forget Emily. She’s already forgotten.

Elena froze. Clenched her fists.

— Who is this? she asked aloud.

— Someone who knows what it means to lose everything.

The call ended abruptly.

She knew it was a warning.

But also a challenge.

⸻

An Unexpected Invitation

That evening, Luca waited for her in a bar hidden behind shelves of old books and dusty bottles.

— You’re still here, he said without greeting her.

— I’m not leaving. And neither will I.

— Then you need to know you’re playing with fire. Not just for yourself, but for everyone around you.

— I’m ready.

Luca pulled out a small pouch and placed it on the table. Inside, a simple ring with a black stone.

— Emily left this for you. She wanted to protect you. At least this much.

Elena looked at the ring, feeling a tightness in her chest.

— What’s next?

— Find out who’s pulling the strings in the shadows. And survive.

⸻

Between Steps and Shadows

On her way home, Elena felt the city watching her with invisible eyes.

The shadows of buildings grew longer, and every sound was a warning signal.

But in the middle of this chaos, a clear thought emerged in her mind:

This is not just a story to write.

It’s a story to live.