The sedan reversed slowly down the gravel, tires crunching until the sound faded into the open valley. Walter stood there for a while, the envelope untouched beside him. Then he picked it up, glanced at the Redline logo, and set it inside on the counter without opening it.
Outside, the land was quiet again, but it didn’t sound the same. The following weeks felt off in small ways at first. A few days after the salesman left, Walter noticed tire tracks near the bend in the road. Deep grooves cut through the soft shoulder, leading toward the valley floor.