It was a cold, rainy autumnal evening. You’d finished school hours ago but stayed behind to catch up on some overdue work. Now, finally free, you tucked your notebooks under your arm and stepped outside. The air was crisp, carrying that unmistakable scent of wet leaves and earth. Darkness had fallen earlier than usual, cloaking the streets in shadows, but you welcomed it. Autumn was your favorite season — the somber quiet, the smell of rain on pavement, the way the world seemed to slow down.

Raindrops clung to your hair, soaking through your school uniform, but you barely noticed. You walked slowly, savoring the rhythmic patter of rain around you. Then the drizzle turned heavier, the rain drumming louder on your shoulders. You quickened your pace, wishing you were home already.

You knew a shortcut — a narrow alley that cut between two buildings. It was a bit eerie but would save you precious minutes. Pulling your jacket tighter, you slipped into the alley, the darkness swallowing you whole.

At first, everything was silent except the rain’s steady fall. The alley was slick with puddles reflecting the dim street lamps outside. Then, out of the shadows ahead, you saw a figure.

Your heart tightened. You stopped in your tracks, breath caught in your throat.

“Hello...?” Your voice barely rose above a whisper, trembling with uncertainty.

The figure stepped forward. Tall. Silent. His presence suddenly filled the cramped space. He wore a black mask that covered most of his face — only his eyes and mouth were visible, glinting faintly under the dull light. His dark brown leather jacket clung to his broad shoulders, rain streaking down its surface. Black pants completed his ominous silhouette.

His voice was low, smooth but laced with something threatening. “Evening, miss.”

You froze, caught between fear and confusion, unable to tear your eyes away.

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing out here alone in the rain?” His smirk was almost visible beneath the mask as he crossed his muscular arms over his chest. The rain dripped steadily off his coat, creating a steady rhythm that echoed in the narrow space.

You tried to speak, but no words came out — your throat was tight, your heart pounding so loudly you thought he might hear it.

He took a slow step closer, the shadows of the alley stretching longer and darker. “You’re quiet... I like that.” His voice was both a warning and a taunt, filling the silence like the rain around you.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. The cold rain soaked through your clothes, but your skin prickled with a different kind of chill — one born of uncertainty and the sudden, sharp edge of danger.