Silent Siege

Outside the Lake House

The gravel crunched softly under the tires as Silas brought the black SUV to a slow stop beneath a thick canopy of pine trees. Beyond the brush, the lake shimmered quietly under the late afternoon light, but the house ahead stood still—its windows like blank, watchful eyes.

It was nearly 4:00 PM by the time they arrived. The lake house sat so far outside the city l