Should I?—
From behind me, there’s an almost inaudible sound.
Almostinaudible. But not quite.
It could be completely harmless—-a piece of trash rolling across the ground or an animal scuttling around in search of food.
Or.
It could be a footstep. A careful one. The footstep of a person who doesn’t want to be heard.
My heart jumps.
Adrenaline surges.
I hold my breath as I cast my senses around me. Listening. Searching.
Though instinct urges me to run, I force myself to continue at the same pace as before.
I take a quick look over my shoulder, but there’s nothing to see aside from the empty cars one row back and the light near the entrance, still glowing brightly.
There’s no shadowy figure lurking, waiting to come after me.
And the only sound I hear is the soft tap of my shoes on the asphalt.
There’s nothing to worry about.
Just my overactive imagination finding danger where there isn’t.
Except.
There it is.
That sound again.
Not a piece of trash or an animal, but definitely human.
It’s a quietly menacing noise, like a predator slinking through the night in search of his prey.
My pulse kicks to double speed.
Tiny tremors ripple through my body.
My hand dives into the inside pocket of my coat and wraps around the multi-tool stashed there.
Muscles tenses in anticipation, I sneak another quick look behind me, certain I’m about to see an attacker ready to strike.
But no one’s there.
This is ridiculous,I scold myself. I’m fabricating enemies when there’s no reason to. I’m perfectly safe. And even if I weren’t, I’m more than capable of defending myself. Which I don’t need to, becausethere’s no one here.
Moving more quickly, I hurry towards my car now only two rows ahead. Danger or not, I can feel the first signs of a panic attack coming on—the fear constricting my chest, the labored breaths, the nausea, the dizziness… And thelastplace I want to freak out is in the middle of the parking lot.
Just as I pass the next row, I hear the sound again.
A footstep.
Then another.
