Caught In His Shadows

It was one of those nights when everything felt too heavy. I slipped out of the house quietly. I wore my oversized dark blue hoodie and the hem is brushing against my worn out denim shorts. I needed to get out. I bought Coke from a nearby store in our street, it was a small comfort. The bottle was cold against my fingers, and as I walked down the street, I let the fizz of the drink settle my nerves, just a little. It was already around 11 PM. The neighborhood was dead silent. Only the faint chirp of crickets and the sound of my slipper tapping against the concrete broke the stillness. It felt peaceful, like the whole world was asleep. But not me. I needed this. I pulled out a cigarette from my pocket and lit it, I was hiding it from my family. It was my secret. My way of dealing with everything that had piled up inside me and the constant pressure to be fine when I wasn’t. I kept walking, aimlessly at first, taking in the familiar streets. The air was cool against my skin, but the weight inside me didn’t lighten. I kept walking and smoking, letting my mind wander—until I noticed something. I tried to ignore it at first. Someonewas walking behind me, his footsteps echoing in the quiet night. But then I realized... he was matching my pace. And when I turned down a different street, he turned too. My heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t sure why, but the fact that he followed me unnerved me. Maybe it was just the darkness of the night, or maybe it was just the way he moved. I quickened my pace. He did too.