You kept your head down as you slipped out of the front door, the faint glow of moonlight guiding you as you left the house you’d called home your entire life. The silent night air felt heavy against your skin, but a new sense of freedom fluttered in your chest, sparking a rush you hadn’t felt before. With only your pj's on, and a handful of cash, you set out on the dark streets, each step taking you farther from the nightmares inside those walls.

The city was quiet, shadows stretching across the sidewalks and into empty alleys. You didn’t have a plan, didn’t know where you’d go or how you’d survive. All you knew was that staying meant more pain, more nights spent hiding from anger.

You were lost in thought, your eyes fixed on the pavement, when the soft hum of a car’s engine broke the silence behind you. You felt a chill crawl up your spine, but you kept walking, quickening your pace as the car drew closer. It was sleek, dark, like a panther moving silently in the night.

After a moment, it pulled up beside you, creeping forward until it matched your stride. Your pulse quickened as the passenger window slowly rolled down. The driver was barely visible, cloaked in shadows, but you could make out the hard edges of his face and a glint of something cold in his eyes.

He didn’t speak for a moment, just studied you with an unreadable intensity. Finally, he leaned forward, his voice low and rough.

“Get in.”