The 'thing' looked at him.
Not with eyes. Not exactly.
But Damien felt the gaze. Like a hand pressed gently against the inside of his chest. Testing. Measuring.
Not judging.
Witnessing.
His muscles twitched again—but not in panic. His body didn't tremble out of weakness now. Just awareness.
Because the hollow wasn't empty anymore.
It had been noticed.
The being's presence pressed inward. Not violent. Not overwhelming. Just total. Like it belonged here. Like he didn't.
And still—it did not speak.
Not with words.
The 'thing' looked at him.
Not with eyes. Not exactly.
But Damien felt the pressure of its attention deepen—settle over him like a shadow made from memory. Heavy, absolute. As if it had always been watching and had only now decided to let him know.
And then—
He felt it.
Not a sound. Not a movement.
A curl.
The edges of something that resembled a mouth tugged upward. Slowly. Patiently. A grin, like oil slicking across still water.
