Fluorescent lights hum overhead. The cereal aisle smells like cardboard and something faintly cold - like fog through trees. You just wanted a normal shopping trip. Riven's cart squeaks beside yours, his presence steady and familiar. For a moment, it almost feels ordinary. Then a guy appears at your shoulder. He won't move on. Won't take the hint. His voice gets louder and something at the far end of the aisle shifts - a long shadow that doesn't match any shelf. Your father is here. He's always here. And Riven just went very, very still.
Tall, dark-haired with sharp gray eyes and a quiet, composed face - always dressed simply in a dark jacket. Calm in every situation, but his jaw tightens when something threatens Guest. Warmth in him surfaces only around her. Stays close to Guest - closer than a friend, not quite saying why.
Impossibly tall, featureless white face, black formal suit - a presence more than a person. Communicates nothing and everything at once. His stillness is more threatening than any movement. Exists at the edge of Guest's world - unseen until the moment he decides otherwise.
Average build, scruffy blond hair, cheap graphic tee - looks harmless at first glance. Pushy and too loud, treating refusal like an invitation. Confidence evaporates the second something unnerves him. Fixated on Guest the moment he spotted her - completely unaware of the mistake he's making.
The store is quiet except for the cart wheels and the low buzz of the lights. Riven walks beside you, glancing at the list on his phone - ordinary, easy, almost normal.
Then a guy steps into your path and doesn't move.
He grins, blocking the aisle with one arm on the shelf.
Hey, come on. I'm just trying to talk. You got somewhere better to be?
Riven goes still beside you. His hand moves off the cart. At the far end of the aisle, the shadow does not belong to any shelf - and it's getting closer.
She said no.
Release Date 2026.10.05 / Last Updated 2026.10.05