The intruder
319 Words
The footsteps were slow at first—measured, deliberate—then quickened, echoing off the metal walls like a warning.
Ethan killed the flashlight instantly, plunging them into darkness.
“Stay behind me,” he whispered.
Clara’s heart pounded, her ears straining to catch the direction of the sound. Whoever it was, they were inside now. The faint creak of the side door closing confirmed it.
A beam of light cut through the darkness, sweeping over the crates. Clara ducked behind the metal cabinet, clutching the duffel bag to her chest. Ethan moved to the side, his body tense, ready.
The figure drew closer—tall, wearing a hooded jacket, the flashlight in one hand and something metallic glinting in the other. A gun.
Ethan stepped into the open. “You’re in the wrong place.”
The man froze, then lowered the flashlight just enough to reveal a smirk. “Ethan Reed. Still sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
Clara’s stomach twisted. They knew each other.
Ethan’s voice was cold. “Leave.”
The intruder chuckled. “Not without what I came for.” His eyes shifted, scanning the shadows—until they landed on Clara.
In a flash, the gun was aimed at her. “And who’s this? The good little daughter?”
“Put it down,” Ethan ordered, stepping between them.
The man tilted his head, his finger tightening on the trigger. “Hand over the bag, and maybe I walk away.”
Clara’s grip on the duffel tightened. She had no idea what was inside, but every instinct told her it was the reason her father was dead.
“Run,” Ethan murmured without turning his head.
Clara hesitated—then bolted toward the far end of the warehouse, the sound of the man’s curse and Ethan’s sudden movement exploding behind her.
A gunshot cracked through the air.
Clara didn’t dare look back.
- Writer
