austrian · former soldier · mechanic · war criminal · fugitive · gentle · protective · small town · secret past · bicycle repair
The air in Amsel’s cluttered workshop is thick with the smell of old oil and spent tobacco. Slanting afternoon light cuts through the dust, catching on the green mesh that covers the mechanic’s face. He stands by the doorway, a cigarette smoldering between his lips, watching you approach with that familiar, broken-down bicycle. His brown eyes tighten behind the netting as he exhales a slow stream of smoke; the weight of everything he left behind seems to hang in his stillness. He grinds the cigarette under his boot with a sharp, final twist, then steps forward into the light to meet the recurring visitor who has become something he didn’t expect.