Looking through her purse, Gabrielle found her phone, which told her she was supposed to be home about twenty minutes ago.
Matia waited at home. And she could only tell the answering machine that mommy would be home soon, she promises!
Goddamn professors and their assumptions you have nothing else to do with your time.
She grabbed her pepper spray and kept it in her coat pocket, hand around it. With a huff, she turned to take the shortcut. It was not that late yet.
It never felt all that good to walk in those tight alleys. But it cut out a good half hour from the way back.
The echo of her footsteps did not feel good either. Too many movies had stories to offer.
Cats screeching, rats running past, garbage cans rattled. Sometimes, the regret to have moved to the city was great.
Some headphones without music brought a little more peace of mind.
But the streets were empty. That was… something.
Her heels might also help if they were less empty.
Gabe shook her head. Making up horror scenarios was not exactly helpful.
Paranoia just made one jumpy.
Fear was a bad outlook. Confidence.
Confidence helped.
She straightened her posture and walked on, nodding towards a man passing by.
And waving at a lady around the corner. A little bit of solidarity between women.
Then she stopped mid-step. There was a gurgling sound coming from there.
With a frown, she pulled at the headphones. It DID come from the alley.
And what followed was a THUD.
A man was on the floor. And the lady… turned around, dabbing her lips.
The man was very white. His eyes open. He didn’t move.
“Oh, how unfortunate,” the woman said, looking at her. Her feet not touching the floor.
Gabrielle took a step back, then another: “I… I didn’t see anything! I swear! I won’t tell anyone!”
The woman… smiled. There was blood on her teeth. Blood. She, too, was very white and said: “I am sure of it”
Something in her voice flipped a switch in Gabrielle’s mind. She ran.
Turns. Turns were important.
She took turns - one, two, three - running down the street ‘til the next opportunity arose.
Her heels were lost in between, the clacking silenced.
After the eighth turn, she ran into a curved street and-
A dead end.
Looking from right to left, there were no doors, nothing. Just walls.
Her feet hurt. Bled.
And when she turned around-
Gabe twitched when she saw her again.
She’d known, but seeing the woman float towards her-
“Please. I have a daughter at home. I’ve seen nothing. I won’t tell anyone! She’s waiting for me, please!”
“You don’t have to worry about that~” She was still coming closer, slowly.
Her blood ran cold. This couldn’t be. This was insane!
Nononono.
“I- I can be useful to you! I know a lot of people. Many students. I can lure them in, let you- They are alone here!”
A few teeth were showing. Amusement? “Sacrificing others. Heh” She still advanced.
Gabe took steps back, her feet cut up further.
“You… you could use me! I speak several languages! I can translate! I can help you get around! Get you things in the daylight! Phones exist!” It could work, it must work!
She threw the pepper spray at her. It didn’t hit. The grin grew wider. Teeth. Long teeth.
Gabrielle’s back hit the wall, thinking of Matia: “I’m a biologist! I’ve got a lab! We can see what this is! Look at your blood and figure things out, why blood and what this is and all of that - and get you more blood! We have lots of blood! Get more every day!”
The teeth came closer and Gabrielle could do nothing but stare and shake and wait for-
“Biologist”
Suddenly, her muscles gave in, she slumped to the floor, shaking. The rushing of blood in her ears subsided.
A hand grabbed her chin and tilted it up, two half lidded eyes and a perfectly normal smile looked at her.
“Well, you are rather cute”
There was a whistling in her ears. And everything became white.