The triumphant, brassy echoes of the horn had not yet fully dissipated from the air when an oppressive, suffocating silence suddenly fell over the banks of the Nura River. The birds that had been chirping in a chaotic, joyful chorus only moments ago seemed to reach a silent agreement to vanish. The rustle of the leaves stilled, and even the rushing water of the river seemed to lower its volume, as if the very forest were holding its breath.
Dayat reacted instantly. He reached into his tactical vest and pressed the stop button on the digital music box. The dramatic, swelling piano melody of Indila's "Love Story" was severed right in the middle of a poignant verse, leaving behind a silence so sharp it felt like a physical weight.
