Stockholm, Sweden 2013

Simon crept cautiously through the dimly lit corridors of the decrepit apartment complex, his switchblade clutched tightly in his trembling hand. The air was thick with the stench of mildew and decay, and every creak of the warped wooden floors sent a jolt of adrenaline through his weary body. Shadows danced erratically along the peeling wallpaper as his flashlight beam flickered, barely holding back the oppressive darkness. The distant sound of dripping water echoed through the narrow halls, mingling with the faint, unnatural groans that made his heart race. His messenger bag bumped softly against his side with each step, the familiar weight of the morphine syringes and his Sony Ericsson a strange source of reassurance amidst the suffocating dread.