The moment I touch it, the world shifts.
That feeling at my spine intensifies. The serpent squeezes tighter. The ringing in my ears gets louder, more insistent.
A warning.
This is a warning.
Dahlia.
The ring burns hot against my chest. Her ring. Her anchor. And now her warning, growing through impossible concrete in the exact spot I need to walk.
She’s been trying to protect me. Not just tell me what happened to her—protect me from the man who killed her. The man who’s hunting me the same way he hunted her.
And this time, finally, I’m listening.
I clutch the dandelion to my chest. Stand. Spin in a circle.
No one.
Just me and a dead weed and a feeling I can’t name but can’t ignore.
Our apartment building is ahead. Right there. Two hundred feet. Safety. Alex. Home.
My throat closes up completely. My body reacting to something I can’t see but can feel. Heavy. Like that moment before a migraine hits when you know the next few hours are going to be hell but you can’t stop it.
I pick up the pace. Heading for the apartment without running. Because running means you’re prey. Running means you’re scared. Running means whoever’s behind you knows they’re winning.
Behind me, I hear footsteps.
Just like that, my body threatens to lose its absolute shit.
I swallow several times. Try to keep my breathing even. Try to maintain the confident walk Mom taught me.
But my whole body feels like it is on fucking fire.
The footsteps match my pace. Speed up when I speed up. Don’t fall behind.
Someone is following me.
Not imagination. Not paranoia. Actually following me.
This is it. Intuition.
I had it. But I ignored it. And now I can’t ignore it.
Lesson learned. Get me inside.
I thread my keys between my knuckles. That thing women do. That thing we shouldn’t have to do but we all learn anyway. Little metal spikes jutting out from my fist.
Just in case.
I’m nearly at the door. Relief is so fucking close. I can see our building. The glass door with the security lock. The lobby with its sad plant and worse lighting.
Safety.
I swear if I can just get inside I’ll never ignore my intuition again. Ever.
And Alex and I are taking kickboxing classes as soon as possible.
