She staggered slightly as she stepped out of the restaurant, her perfume mingling with the scent of red wine still warm in her chest. Breaking up with him hadn’t been easy, but the decision was final. “Enough. That’s it,” she murmured to herself as she opened her coat against the cold night air.

Suddenly, she saw him. Standing across the street, his eyes gleamed with madness as he moved toward her slowly, as if time meant nothing to him.

"Why are you running?" he said in a low voice as he approached, his footsteps trailing her like a heavy shadow.

Her pace quickened. Her heart pounded like war drums. Not now, not after everything...

Just as she was about to turn and run, she felt a strong hand grab her arm, yanking her suddenly into a narrow alley between two dark walls. She gasped, but didn’t scream. The man in front of her pulled her tightly against his chest and whispered:

"Be quiet… he’s following you."