And whatever happens next is going to happen fast.
I roll my shoulders once, loosening the tension that would slow me down, and shift my weight forward just slightly, ready.
Watching. Waiting. Letting instinct do what it’s always done.
Because someone is about to step into this.
And I’m already in position when they do.
The cold settles in deeper the farther I get from the salon. Not unbearable, just enough to keep me aware of it, the kind that seeps through layers slowly until it feels like it belongs there. My breath drifts out in soft clouds in front of me, fading almost as quickly as they form, and I tuck my chin down into my scarf as I walk.
The street is quieter now. Not empty, but quieter in a way that feels different from inside. The kind of quiet that stretches instead of wraps around you. A few cars pass every so often, headlights sweeping across the pavement before disappearing again. Most of the storefronts are dark, windows reflecting the streetlights back at themselves, making everything feel a little farther away than it actually is.
I like this part of the night. Not because it’s silent, but because it’s honest. There’s no rush, no pretending, no one trying to be something they’re not for a room full of people. It’s just…what’s left.
I walk with my hands tucked into my coat pockets, shoulders relaxed, my thoughts still half caught on the conversation with my mom. My sister getting the job. The excitement in her voice I can already hear even though I haven’t called her yet. I smile to myself. I’ll call her as soon as I get home.
She’s probably already planning how she’s going to decorate her new office, even if she won’t admit it yet. She always does that, gets ahead of herself in the best way, building something in her head before it even fully exists.
I step over a crack in the sidewalk and keep going, my boots hitting the pavement in a steady rhythm. A car passes behind me. I don’t turn.There’s no reason to. Still, something shifts. It’s subtle. Not a sound I can point to or a movement I can name, just a slight tightening in my chest, like my body noticed something before I did.
I slow half a step. Then shake my head at myself.
You’re overthinking.
It’s dark. It’s cold. Of course everything feels a little off. I glance over my shoulder anyway. Just a quick look. The street behind me stretches empty, the glow of the streetlight catching the edge of parked cars, the faint outline of buildings I just passed. There’s no one there. No movement. Nothing that looks out of place.
See?
I turn back around, exhaling softly.
You’re fine.
I keep walking.
The feeling doesn’t go away entirely, but it settles into something quieter, something I can push aside instead of focus on. I’ve felt it before, that little edge of unease that shows up without warning. It doesn’t always mean something’s wrong. Sometimes it just means I’m tired, or it’s too quiet, or my brain is trying to fill in space where there isn’t anything to fill. It doesn’t have to be something. It’s probably nothing.
I focus on the rhythm of my steps, the sound of my breathing, the way the cold air bites just enough to keep me awake. I walk a little slower without meaning to, my steps less about getting somewhere and more about moving through the space I’m in.That feeling comes back. Stronger this time. Not sharp.
Just…present.
I frown slightly, my gaze shifting to the side, then forward again. It’s nothing. It has to be nothing. I glance over my shoulder again. Still nothing. No one following me. No one stepping out from anywhere. No movement that doesn’t make sense. My lips press together for a second.
You’re fine.
I turn back around. And then I hear footsteps. Behind me. Not loud. Not running. Just there. My stomach tightens. I don’t stop walking. I don’t speed up either. I just…listen.
One step.
Another.
Not matching mine exactly, but close enough to notice.
My heart picks up, a little faster, not panic, not yet, just awareness. It could be someone else heading the same way. It could be nothing.
Don’t jump to conclusions.
I slow slightly.
