Chapter 7
955 Words
Bridget’s POV
There are moments when your body senses danger before your mind understands it.
That was exactly what happened to me.
At first, I couldn’t explain it. Nothing looked wrong. The street was quiet, the afternoon sun stretched lazily across the pavement, and Bryan was happily swinging our joined hands as we walked toward the ice cream shop, talking about flavors like it was the most important decision of his life but something inside me tightened. A quiet, instinctive warning.
My steps slowed without thinking. Bryan didn’t notice. He was too excited, already debating between chocolate and strawberry, even though I knew he would end up choosing both like he always did.
I noticed the car parked across the street. It wasn’t just there—it felt as though it had been placed.
The engine wasn’t running, yet it didn’t look abandoned. The windows were too darkly tinted, and just as my gaze lingered a second longer than usual, I caught the faintest movement inside… and then nothing.
My stomach dropped.
“Noah…” I called quietly.
He glanced at me, his expression calm, but alert in a way I was beginning to recognize.
“What is it?”
I tilted my head slightly, careful not to draw attention.
“That car.”
He followed my gaze for barely a second, but that was all it took; something in him shifted instantly. It was subtle; anyone else would have missed it, but I didn’t.
The ease in his posture tightened into something sharper, more controlled.
“Keep walking,” he murmured under his breath.
My heart started to race.
“Who is it?”
“I don’t know yet.”
That answer did nothing to calm me.
If anything, it made things worse.
Bryan tugged at my hand impatiently. “Mom, hurry! They might finish the vanilla!”
I forced a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.
“Okay, okay.”
But my grip on his hand tightened without me realizing it.
We crossed the road. The car didn’t move and yet… I could feel it like eyes following us.
The soft chime of the doorbell greeted us as we stepped into the ice cream shop, and a rush of cool air wrapped around my skin, offering a brief, deceptive sense of relief.
Bright lights, soft music, the cheerful chatter of other customers. Everything felt normal, too normal. Bryan immediately ran ahead to the display, his excitement returning full force.
“I want chocolate! No…wait…strawberry! No…both!”
I let out a small breath, trying to steady myself, but my attention kept drifting back to the glass door, to the street, and to that feeling I couldn’t shake.
When I turned, Noah was no longer beside me. He stood a few steps away near the entrance, his back straight, his eyes fixed outside like he was reading something invisible to everyone else.
“What is it?” I asked quietly as I moved closer.
He didn’t answer immediately. Then, without looking at me, he said, “Stay inside.”
A chill ran through me.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to check something.”
“No.”
The word came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t take it back. He finally looked at me.
“Bridget…”
“No,” I repeated, lowering my voice but not my resolve. “You don’t walk out there and leave us here like nothing is wrong.”
Something flickered in his expression, something unreadable, but it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, then Bryan called out again, pulling my attention away.
“Mom! Look! They have a rainbow flavor!”
I turned instinctively.
“I’m coming!”
And when I looked back, Noah was already gone.
My heart dropped.
I took a step toward the door before stopping myself. But Bryan, I couldn’t leave him, so I stayed. I forced myself to focus, to act normal, to smile as he proudly showed me his impossible combination of flavors; every second felt stretched, heavy with anticipation.
Then finally…
The door opened again. I turned immediately when Noah walked in, composed as ever, but something in his eyes had changed. It wasn’t obvious, but it was there.
“What happened?” I asked.
He didn’t answer right away; instead, he glanced at Bryan.
“Did you get your ice cream?”
Bryan beamed. “Yes!”
“Good.”
Only then did Noah look back at me.
“We need to leave.”
The tone in his voice sent a wave of unease through me.
“Now.”
My throat went dry.
“What’s going on?”
He stepped closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear.
“That car wasn’t random.”
My heart skipped.
“Then what is it?”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“I think someone has been watching me.”
The words hit me harder than I expected.
“And now…” he added quietly,
“They’ve seen you.”
Fear settled deep in my chest.
“What does that mean?”
“It means,” he said, his voice calm but firm, “this may become something bigger.”
Bryan looked between us, confused.
“Are we in trouble?”
I forced a smile, even though my heart was pounding.
“No, baby.”
But my voice betrayed me. Noah crouched slightly in front of him, his tone softening.
“We’re just going to take a short ride, okay?”
Bryan nodded easily. “Okay!”
I wasn’t reassured, not even a little, because deep down… I knew something had already changed, and whatever it was, it wasn’t going to leave us alone.
- Writer
