The sounds coming from the kitchen and living room were not loud, but in the silence of the night at 3 AM, Alex's keen ears caught them. Despite the knife clutched in his hand, fear gripped him. He had no way of knowing who was invading his apartment or their motives.
Were they here to steal? To harm him? Did they even know it was him, Alex, who lived here?
The unanswered questions heightened his tension, adrenaline coursing through his veins. His first instinct was to grab his phone, calling the police and sending a message to Emma, his neighbor. He didn't have much hope that she would be awake, but sending the message offered a small comfort.
'What now?' Alex thought.
He focused on his breathing, slowly calming his racing heart. This was just an initial shock, something he wasn't used to anymore. But he had received training as a child, and the lessons were starting to come back to him.
