RISE OF THE EX-CONVICT

CHAPTER 177

The chill air nipped at Michos' skin as he made his way down the hill, his breath forming small puffs of condensation in the darkness. The overcast sky above blocked out any moonlight, leaving the forest around him shrouded in inky blackness. Michos shivered involuntarily, his hair standing on end as an unsettling atmosphere hung heavy in the air.

The only sounds that pierced the silence were the mournful cries of birds in the distance and the steady crunch of dead leaves underfoot. Michos paused, straining his ears to catch any other signs of life, but the forest remained unnervingly still.

Steeling himself, Michos pressed on, his pace quickening as he spotted the faint outline of a small cottage in the distance. He took a deep breath, willing his pounding heart to slow, then approached the weathered wooden door. Raising a shaky hand, he rapped firmly against the aged wood, the sound echoing through the silent trees.

Michos stepped back, waiting with bated brea