The night was deep, the only light coming from the streetlamps lining the dark alley. Wei Xian was walking home alone after his night study class.
As he approached his home, he felt something strange. The night seemed to grow colder, and the silence was heavy. The only sounds were his own breath and the echo of his footsteps.
"The cold was creeping into the air, like fingers slowly reaching for his skin," he thought.
Then, he saw them. Figures in black jackets and red hats, their faces obscured by masks that only revealed their eyes and noses. One of them was holding someone unconscious. Wei Xian stopped, his heart pounding. He took two steps back, dropping the books he was carrying.
"He took a deep breath, his chest heaving as he tried to move away, but the weight of fear seemed heavier than the cold of the night."
The masked figures slowly approached him. He wanted to run, but his legs felt frozen. He couldn't move, no matter how hard he tried. He could only watch as the masked men drew closer.
"Why are they here? What am I going to do?" he thought, trying to force himself to move. But his body seemed to have surrendered to fear.