Title: The Silent Stranger The sun was hot. The village was quiet

Title: The Silent Stranger The sun was hot. The village was quiet. I walked slowly down the dusty path. My heart pounded. Each step felt heavy. I could hear the sound of birds singing. But I could also hear something else. Something strange. Something I could not explain. I felt like someone was watching me. My skin prickled. I looked around, but saw no one. The trees were tall and still. The wind did not blow. Everything was silent. Too silent. I kept walking. My feet moved, but my mind was not at peace. I was nervous. My thoughts raced. What if something bad happens? What if I am not safe? Then I heard it. A rustle in the bushes. I froze. My breath stopped. My eyes darted back and forth. Who was it? What was it? I gripped my walking stick tighter. The rustle grew louder. I felt fear crawl up my spine. Then, out of the bushes, a shadow moved. I couldn’t see clearly. The sun was bright, but the shadow was dark. It was coming closer. I could feel it in my bones. My heart was racing faster now. Boom. Boom. Boom. The shadow stepped out. It was a person. A stranger. His clothes were torn, and his eyes were sharp. He had a scar across his face. He did not speak. He just stared at me. I stared back. Time seemed to stop. My heart was in my throat. I wanted to run, but my legs were stiff. I wanted to shout, but my voice was gone. The stranger’s eyes did not blink. They were cold, empty, and full of something dark. He took a step forward. I stepped back. “What do you want?” I finally managed to whisper. My voice was shaky, weak. The stranger did not answer. He just kept walking toward me, slow and steady. My mind screamed, "Run! Run away!" But my body would not move. I was trapped in fear. The stranger was now just a few steps away. His eyes locked on mine, unblinking. I could see his hands shaking, his breath heavy. But then, something unexpected happened. The stranger fell to his knees. Tears filled his eyes. He looked broken, lost. He whispered in a soft, trembl