Another glance at the clock. 4:30 AM. Time to go.
I drop the apartment key on the table for the manager and slip out like a ghost. Taking a bracing breath, I walk down the stairs as quietly as possible. The silence is so heavy, I'm afraid even the smallest noise will draw attention.
But finally, I make it outside, leaving the crumbling building behind me, its decaying walls no longer a part of my world. I don't dare look back, focusing instead on the road ahead.
I'm about fifteen minutes from the bus station when I hear it. Footsteps.
I hold my breath, walking on my tiptoes to confirm if the footsteps are mine. They're not. My stomach drops, twisting itself into knots, and I chance a glance over my shoulder.
A tall figure in a hoodie stalks several feet behind me.
Heart hammering, asshole clenching, I pick up my pace, no longer caring about stealth.
He speeds up too, matching my stride.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
