Photo Challenge #88: The Shadows

Her body will lies in the depth of the alley forever… 

Earlier that night, she was walking home from work as usual. She took the usual route, carried her purse inside her coat instead of outside, and careful not to draw attention. But as she entered the small street that eventually led to her neighborhood, she began to feel as though she was being followed. She did not dare to turn around. She kept walking, subtly glancing at the wall and the window of the shops.

Shadows. A man and a woman. 

She focused forward once more. You are almost there, she thought to herself. Just three more blocks. 

As she walked further, she realized the neighborhood was quiet. There were no children playing and laughing in the front-yards, no adults sitting on the front porch, lit solely by the porch light, smoking, laughing, and talking. In fact, all the lights were off in all the houses. What’s going on? She wondered.

Just then, her vision went dark. Someone had thrown something over her eyes. She couldn’t see a thing. A voice of a woman whispered, “You will do everything we say.”

Her heartbeat quickened, so did her breath. She couldn’t say a word. She could only obey. Two cold hand pinned her wrists behind her and pushed her forward. Where are we going? She wanted to ask but couldn’t find her voice.

Not far ahead, they steered her to the left. She began to feel cold, colder than usual as she heard a wet splash beneath her feet. She had stepped in a puddle of water. They pulled her to the right, probably did not want her to discover where she was. Several more steps and they stopped. “Stay right here.” The woman instructed as they let go of her hands.

She stood still for a moment, suddenly fighting every instinct not to run. She did not want to know what they would do to her if she did. They would kill you for sure, her thoughts told her. She clenched her teeth, her fists, and even attempted to plant her feet firmly on the ground but her feet wouldn’t let her. She took off and before she took five steps, the man with a sure-hand aimed at her head.

A response to MindLoveMisery’s Menagerie’s Photo Challenge.