A Warning in the Dark
811 Words
A shadow moved in the hallway.
Maya’s breath hitched, her body going still.
She wasn’t imagining it.
Someone was inside.
Her pulse thundered in her ears as she stayed perfectly still on the couch, her phone clutched in her hand. The apartment was dark, but the faint city glow bleeding through the curtains was enough to cast eerie silhouettes across the room.
The lock. She was sure she’d locked it.
Yet it was unlocked now.
Her fingers inched toward the edge of the couch, toward the floor. Slow, careful. If she could just reach her shoes, she could—
A soft creak.
Her stomach clenched.
The shadow in the hallway wasn’t just standing still anymore.
It was moving.
Coming closer.
Maya forced herself to breathe as quietly as possible. Her mind spun through options. Run? Hide? Fight? None of them seemed good enough.
Her phone was still in her grip.
Ava. She had to wake Ava.
Her thumb barely grazed the screen before—
A hand clamped over her mouth.
Maya thrashed, instinct taking over, her limbs jerking in every direction. The grip was strong—too strong—but she wasn’t going down without a fight. She twisted her body, kicking back, landing a solid hit.
A muffled grunt.
The grip loosened just enough.
She bit down hard on the hand.
The attacker let out a sharp, pained hiss, yanking back. That was all Maya needed. She shoved forward, scrambling off the couch, her feet hitting the floor. She lunged toward Ava’s room—
A hand grabbed her wrist.
She twisted, slamming her knee upward. A curse spilled from the darkness as the attacker stumbled back. Maya didn’t stop to see the damage. She sprinted.
“Ava!” she shouted, banging on the bedroom door.
The door flung open in an instant. Ava, now fully awake, took one look at Maya’s face and knew something was wrong.
Maya barely had time to speak before—
The front door slammed.
The attacker was gone.
The apartment was empty again.
But the damage had been done.
Maya stood there, panting, her hands shaking. Ava grabbed her by the shoulders. “What the hell just happened?”
Maya swallowed hard. “Someone—someone was inside. I woke up and—” She sucked in a breath. “I know I locked that door.”
Ava’s expression darkened.
She marched to the front door, checked the locks, then peered through the peephole. Nothing.
Maya’s hands trembled as she touched her wrist—where she’d been grabbed. It still stung from the force of it.
This wasn’t just a random break-in. This wasn’t a coincidence.
This was a message.
Ava exhaled sharply. “You’re not staying here.”
Maya barely had the strength to argue.
4:45 AM – A Motel on the Other Side of Town
They drove in silence. Ava didn’t push for more details yet, and Maya was grateful. She needed a minute to process.
The motel was cheap but safe enough—a place where no one would think to look for them.
Inside, the room was plain, dimly lit, smelling faintly of old carpet and stale air. Maya didn’t care. It had locks on the doors. That was enough.
Ava tossed her a hoodie. “Put that on. If someone’s watching, we don’t want them recognizing you.”
Maya pulled it over her head, hugging her arms around herself. The shock was starting to settle into her bones.
Ava sat on the bed, arms crossed. “Alright. Spill.”
Maya hesitated. She didn’t even know where to start. The call? The missing woman? The man from the bar? The intruder who had been inches from her face just moments ago?
She exhaled and pulled out her phone, opening the search history from earlier. “Victoria Langley.” She turned the screen toward Ava. “I found something.”
Ava’s sharp gaze scanned the screen.
The buried corruption cases. The scandals. The woman who kept disappearing in the middle of it all.
Ava’s jaw tightened. “She was in the middle of something big.”
Maya nodded. “And now she’s gone.”
Ava didn’t look away from the screen. “You think whoever came after you tonight is connected to this?”
Maya didn’t want to think it. But the pieces fit too well.
She swallowed. “I think I wasn’t supposed to get that call.”
Ava was quiet for a long moment. Then she stood and grabbed her laptop. “Alright.” She cracked her knuckles. “Let’s find out what the hell is going on.”
Maya exhaled, trying to steady herself.
She didn’t know what they were about to uncover.
But she had a feeling there was no turning back.
To be continued…
- Writer
