Julian had not planned to stop.
He had left the apartment again not long after returning, choosing movement over staying in a space that now felt too contained for everything that had begun to shift. The city made that easy. It always did. There was always somewhere to go, somewhere to stand without being noticed, somewhere to disappear into without effort.
He walked without choosing a direction, letting the flow of people carry him forward.
The rhythm of the street remained steady around him. Cars moved in controlled lines, pedestrians crossed at the lights, conversations blended into the background without drawing attention. Everything continued as it should.
Then something ahead of him broke that rhythm.
A small crowd had gathered near the edge of the sidewalk, just enough to slow people down as they passed. Some stopped briefly, others lingered with uncertainty, unsure whether to step closer or keep moving.
Julian would have walked past, he almost did.
