Chapter 5

My heart started drumming a little faster. Not a full-on panic, but a steady, insistent rhythm, like a warning bell. I pulled my phone out, pretending to check a text message, just to get a good, slow look around without seeming obvious. Nothing. Just the usual evening crowd, folks heading home, laughing, living their lives. But that feeling didn’t go away. It just pressed in closer, like the darkness itself was getting denser around me.

I picked up my pace, just a touch, aiming for the brighter, more open main path of the park. More lights always felt safer, even if it was just a mental trick. As soon as my pace quickened, I heard it. Footsteps behind me. Not just general park noise, not some random jogger. These were distinct, heavy footfalls, matching my rhythm. Too close. My breath hitched.

I risked a quick, casual glance over my shoulder, trying to make it look like I was just taking in the evening scenery. A figure. Tall, bulky, maybe twenty yards back, a dark silhouette against the fading light. Nothing special, but the way they were walking, that steady, unwavering pace, it felt… purposeful.

My throat went dry. This wasn't some random coincidence. This wasn't my imagination. Someone was definitely following me. The cold knot in my gut tightened, but beneath it, something else kicked in. Something sharp and clear. All those years of being hyper-aware snapped into focus. It was like a switch flipped. The fear was still there, but it was overshadowed by a cool, almost detached calculation. Every muscle tensed, ready.

I veered off the main path without breaking stride, cutting sharply through a patch of thick trees. I knew this park. Knew the shortcuts, the darker spots, the ways out that most people didn’t bother with. This particular trail led to a smaller, less-lit street, but it was quick. It was a risk, yeah; darker meant more hidden, but also more exposed if they managed to cut me off. The footsteps behind me faltered for just a second, a surprised pause, then picked up again, crashing through the undergrowth, branches snapping. They were closer now. Too close.

My breath hitched again, shallow. I could hear their breathing now, heavy and ragged, closer than before. Definitely a man. And a big one. My legs burned as I pumped them harder, weaving between the trees, branches whipping at my face, scraping against my jacket. I could hear them cussing under their breath, stumbling, muttering curses. Good. They clearly weren’t as familiar with this patch of woods as I was. That gave me an edge.

I burst out onto the sidewalk of a busy street, the sudden rush of cars and people a welcome, jarring shock. I didn't stop. Just blended into the crowd, pushing past oblivious commuters, my eyes scanning, trying to find any sign of them behind me. I ducked into a brightly lit convenience store, trying to look like I was just another tired person grabbing something quick after work. I went straight for the candy aisle, pretending to browse the bright colors, watching my reflection in the dark glass of the refrigerated drinks. After what felt like an eternity, but was probably only a minute, I saw him. The same big guy, panting, looking frustrated, scanning the street outside the store. He hadn’t seen me slip in. Not yet.

He stomped past the store entrance, looking left, then right, his jaw tight. His frustration was a tangible thing, almost comical if my heart wasn't still trying to beat its way out of my chest. He clearly expected me to keep running straight down that same path. But I knew better. I’d learned that lesson the hard way, many times over. Predictability gets you caught. And I was not about to get caught.

I waited until he was a good distance down the street, his back to me, then slipped out the back exit, through a narrow, dark alley filled with overflowing dumpsters and the disgusting smell of stale garbage. It was gross, but it was quick, and it put me a few blocks over, completely out of his line of sight.

My legs were burning, lungs aching, but I didn't slow down until I was back at my car, I hurried got in making sure all the door were locked and I left. On the drive home I couldn’t help but keep checking the rearview mirror. When I pulled up to the apartment, I hurriedly parked and rushed in. Once inside I let out a breath. Home I was safe. But my mind was racing, trying to piece it together. Who was that?. Was it just random? Some creep looking for an easy target, and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or was it something more? That cold dread, the one that always lived just beneath my skin, tightened its grip.

Had something finally caught up to me? Was this the cost of the life I’d chosen to lead, a life where I sometimes had to make hard choices, see things others didn’t, do things others couldn't? the Shelter, counselling it wasn’t just a job, I have had run in with the abusers of the victims many times. Had to call the police on parents many times, received death threats, but it was my choice.

I took a deep breath, trying to slow the adrenaline still pumping through my veins. The world I lived in, the choices I made, they always came with risks. Tonight was just a very stark, very real reminder of that. Every step I took, every decision I made, carried a consequence maybe not for me but for the kids I helped for the women that were afraid.

I pulled out my phone. My thumb hovered over David’s name. A part of me just wanted to curl up in his arms, pretend the world was simple, that I was just a school counselor and he was just a detective who caught bad guys. But my hand was still trembling. I needed to calm down first. Needed to sound completely normal. I took another slow, deep breath, focused on the faint hum of the coffee shop, the low murmur of conversations around me. I could do this. Always could.

After a few more minutes, when my pulse had finally settled back to something resembling normal, I tapped his contact. It rang twice before he picked up, his voice a little rough, tired.

“Hey, you. Everything alright?”

His voice was like an anchor, pulling me back to shore. “Yeah, just… long day. A little spooky walking home through the park tonight, actually. Felt like someone was following me for a bit.” I tried to make my voice sound light, a little dismissive, like it was just a silly moment.