John sits nervously in the back of the taxi as it makes its way down the dark, winding road toward Ravenwood. The driver seems to sense his discomfort and glances back at him through the rear-view mirror. "You sure you want to go to Ravenwood?" he asks, his voice low and wary.John nods, trying to appear more confident than he feels. "I have important business there," he answers firmly.The driver nods slowly. "Be careful," he warns. "They say something strange is happening in Ravenwood; that it's cursed by a mysterious secret. I wouldn't go prying if I were you."John rolls his eyes, his annoyance growing. He doesn't believe in curses or any other superstitious nonsense. But he has to admit the driver's warning has given him pause. He shrugs it off and leans back in his seat. "I can handle myself," he says confidently. "Besides, I'm sure Ravenwood is just as normal as any other town."The driver gives a noncommittal grunt but doesn't argue. He pulls the car up to a small, old-looking

As John stands there, lost in thought, he doesn't notice the figure lurking behind him. Suddenly, the figure raises a knife, intending to stab John in the back. But at the last moment, John seems to sense the danger and moves to the side, narrowly avoiding the knife as it pierces through his shoulder instead.John shouts in pain and fear as he whips around to confront the figure. He can make out a hooded figure in front of him, but before he can move to defend himself, the figure throws a handful of powder at John's face. Instinctively, he closes his eyes and starts coughing, feeling the grit of the powder against his skin.The hooded figure takes advantage of this momentary distraction and moves closer to John. He tries to raise the knife again, but John is ready and grabs hold of the assailant's wrist, stopping the blade just inches away from his face. The two of them struggle for control of the weapon, pushing and pulling until finally, John manages to wrestle the knife away.As Jo