It’s late, and Jared’s day ends with an unsettling experience. After dinner, he takes a walk to clear his head, finding himself at the crossroads where the Blackwater Opera Theatre once stood. Now, it’s just an overgrown lot enclosed by a rusted fence. The heavy mist and eerie atmosphere make the place feel alive with memories of the past. Jared imagines the night of Mortuus Messis’s premiere in 1916—the excitement of the crowd, the anticipation of the performance, and the tragedy that followed.