"Instincts"

She clutchd her short jacket around her as she walked quickly, head down - she just wanted to get home. She was annoyed with herself, allowing herself to be talked into another couple of drinks at the bar. Her Saturday afternoon Bingo at the Club was never an occasion for socialising afterwards, but bumping into that long lost cousin put paid to that. Leaving the Club, she was dismayed at how late it was, and she bumped into a man in a leather jacket, enjoying a cigarette and obviously waiting for someone. She murmured a quick "sorry', and hurried off. And now the streets were dark, with the mid winter night falling fast. She headed off in the direction of home - such a pleasant walk in the daylight - but now the street lights casting eerie shadows gave her a feeling of unease. She quickened her pace as the houses became more sparse. She didn't like this at all, and her instincts were telling her to get home fast. The road ahead was long and dark, the trees on either side forming a canopy and blocking out the moonlight.

She longed for the reassurance of other people, but she was quite alone - or was she? She had the eerie suspicion that she was being followed. Uncanny that - just as she could tell when someone was watching her. She looked around quickly again - but there was nothing. Just keep going, she thought, one foot after the other, and you'll soon be home.

And yet she was sue there were footstgeps behind her. Feeling panic starting to rise, she quickened her pace, and it seemed the footsteps behind her also quickened in time to hers. Am I imagining this, she thought? On impulse, she stopped dead. One footstep was heard - and then nothing. She kicked off her shoes and ran. Fear restricting her throat, she was finding it hard to breathe, she was gasping. She could see the Playing Fields coming into view - a good shortcut in daylight - but how stupid it would be to use it now. No houses here to bang on the door for help - no-one around to hear her screams. She was half sobbing, half praying - she felt her heart was going to burst. She could run no further. She sank to the ground and waited. but nothing happened. She strained her ears - nothing!

Relief flooded through her, then came the tears. She felt so silly, so paranoid almost. There was no one there - she was safe. Thankyou thankyou, she whispered to whatever Entity it was up there. She would NEVER put herself in this position again, ever.

She could see her front door now - just a little bit further. She had been so stupid to put herself through this - never again, she kept repeating, never again. She fumbled with the key in the lock -her hands were shaking and the key kept missing the mark. Oh please! Just go IN. There! Done! She pushed the door open and in one motion she was inside and had slammed the door behind her. She slid the dead bolt across.

The hairs on the back of her neck rose. She could smell a cigarette. She turned slowly. Across the dark room, framed against the window, the moonlight fell on the shoulders of a man in a black leather jacket, sitting, waiting for her...................

First time

The beginning of a new adventure in my thoughts.