The moment Clayton saw those red eyes, a chilling sense of déjà vu washed over him. But the feeling didn't last—he quickly snapped out of his daze.
Hesitantly, he glanced back toward Rodent to be sure, but once again, the red glow was gone.
Clayton fell silent, his mind now buzzing with questions he couldn't answer.
Meanwhile, Old Man Vino and Rodent wrapped up their transaction quickly. Soon after, Vino returned to his seat, while Clayton and Old Man Wood remained in the awkward silence left behind by the earlier moment.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Vino shifted the conversation back to business.
"Alright, let me see the quality of the grain. If it's as good as you say, I'll pay a fair price."
Old Man Wood gave Clayton a nod, signaling it was time. Clayton agreed and began unloading his goods—thirty sacks of wheat, keeping four for personal use.
