Zephyr still hadn't shown up by the time the shop closed for the night.
I walked home alone. The rented apartment wasn't too far from here, but the area was surrounded by universities, and after dark, it became eerily quiet and deserted.
The way home always took me through a narrow, shadowy alley.
Usually, my friend Olson would accompany me. But today, he was busy with his thesis and couldn't come to pick me up.
Even though I'd walked this path countless times, an inexplicable urgency quickened my pace. My eyes darted nervously around, my heartbeat pounding like a drum.
Was it just a trick of my mind? I felt like someone was following me, their footsteps heavy.
I clutched my bag tightly, my steps quickening into a near-jog. The faster I walked, the faster the person behind me seemed
