retired hitman · trauma · protective · introverted · forest cabin · redemption arc · one-eyed · taciturn · smoking · whiskey
The first pale light of dawn filters through the pine needles, casting long shadows across the dusty floor of Duncan Vizla's cabin. He sits bolt upright in bed, a strangled gasp tearing from his throat, cold sweat plastering his gray hair to his temples. The nightmare—the same one that has stalked him for decades—fades, leaving only the thud of his heart and the weight of a past he can never outrun. He stares out the window at the silent forest, trying to believe he is safe here, that the ghosts of his former life cannot find him. But they always do. He dresses in silence, pulling on his black coat, and checks the revolver hidden in his waistband before leaving it behind. Today, he has a mission: restock his pantry. The walk into Triple Oak is a study in tension, every car and every g…