THE quiet of the night wrapped itself around Orlanda as she sat at her dressing table, it was night, and she had already retired to her bedroom, work for the day ended. The dim light from the single lamp casting a warm, soft glow across the room, she had put off other illuminating objects in the room as she always does before going to bed. The reflection in the mirror stared back at her, but her mind was far away, replaying the events of the day, particularly the unsettling conversation with Carlson that morning.
Carlson’s threatening and daring words echoed in her mind, stirring a discomfort she couldn’t shake. The way he had approached her, confident yet with an underlying forcefulness, made her feel trapped, giving the reality that there was no room left to escape.
Orlanda’s eyes dro
