The Night Walk

1054 Words3 Pages

It was getting late; the party began to exhaust. The music was turned down until a peaceful silence filled the rooms and halls. Conversations between friends reached their ends. Guests began preparing to head home, checking pockets for possessions, collecting coats, saying goodbye to one another.
The barricade of hugs and handshakes stopped her from reaching the door. However, when guests reminded each other of the time, they huddled by the door as the night reached its closure. People slowly started to leave, exchanging goodbyes with the host as they left.
When few people remained, she noticed that other guests had either brought cars of their own, or arranged lifts home. Staring into the darkness of the street, she realised that she had forgotten to arrange a journey back to her apartment. Moments later when all guests had left, the host, noticing she was in a world of her own, tip-toed over. A quick click of his fingers snapped her out of the trance she was in.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there”, she said in a daze.
“I noticed”, he grinned, “What was on your mind?”
“Nothing”, she told him, “Tonight was really good, I had a great time.”
“I’m glad to hear”, he smiled, “So how are you getting home?”
“Oh, umm, I’ve phoned a taxi” she lied hesitantly, “It should be here soon.”
After saying their goodbyes, she walked outside and comfortably down the street until the sudden sound of the door being shut brought her to a halt. It was as though the closed door had immediately isolated her, partially denting her sense of security. For the first time she felt truly alone. Moments passed before she began thinking, reminding herself of the route home; a lengthy stumble through short interlocked streets that appeared much less intimida...

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...ed. Minutes passed until she gained a reasonable distance from her pursuer.
Eventually she had reached her block of apartments and ran to the door. Opening her handbag, she abruptly emptied the contents onto the floor in sole focus of retrieving her keys. She scattered her things, unable to spot the keys and instead noticed her phone; ‘1 MESSAGE’ filled the screen. Briefly distracted, she unlocked her phone—it read:
“MESSAGE TO ALL CONTACTS.
I found a set of keys on my kitchen floor after the party, anyone lost theirs? If so phone/text me back ”
She soon heard the stalkers voice in the distance once again. Her heart skipped with an overwhelming feeling of doubt. Could the dropped keys be hers? Could she really be this unlucky? She rummaged through her empty handbag one last time before believing that the keys were not there.
His voice was nearing.

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