Shadows of Influence - Villanelle

chapter 14

The hospital corridors were dimly lit and eerily quiet as Sara walked towards where Eve and her friend were waiting. She found them standing outside the witness's room, their faces serious.

''Glad you could make it'', Eve said, her voice a mix of relief and urgency.

Sara nodded, glancing at the young boy Eve had brought, who gave her a shy smile and suggested they might get some chocolate for the poor girl laying in the hospital bed. 

As he and Eve went on their mission to get some treats, Sara excused herself to the bathroom.

She pushed open the bathroom door, seeing that one stall was out off order and the other one occupied. She sighed as she turned to the mirror, pulling out her phone.

She had received a text from her ex earlier that week, asking how she'd been. They had broken up right before Sara was picked up by the MI6, and it had taken her a long time to get over him. Deep in thought, she started typing out a response for what must have been the 100 time that week. She started thinking about how different her life had become, since she last talked to him.

Just as she had finished typing, Sara heard the creak of the stall door behind her. 

Time seemed to stand still, when she lifted her head, and her eyes met the reflection of the woman face, who she hadn't been able to stop thinking about, in over a year.

The mystery woman stood there, her expression a mix of suprisement and amusement. She was wearing a nurse uniform. Her eyes sparkling with mischief as she took a step closer.

''Hello darling'', she purred.

Sara completely froze, her phone slipping from her hands down to the floor. ''You'', she whispered in disbelief. ''What are you doing here?''.

The woman's smile widened, as she steppede even closer, her lips almost brushing Sara's ear. ''I'm here for you''.

Sara's pulse quickened, she felt on a mix of fear and something else she couldn't quite identify. ''I'm not playing your games'', she said desperately. Her voice not sounding very convincing.

The woman straightened up, her demeanor shifting. ''Oh, but you already are. And you're doing it so well''. She gave a quick, almost gentle tug to the locket still around Sara's neck, who cursed herself for forgetting to take it of before going out.

Sara was then completely taken by surprise, and yelped as the woman suddenly pushed her against the bathroom wall, her grip on Sara's neck. Pain shot through her as she winced, trying to pull away.

''Stay still'' the woman hissed, her voice low and dangerous.

Before Sara could react, the woman tightened her grip, making it harder for her to breathe. She cried out, but the woman quickly covered her mouth with her other hand.

''Shh, we don't want to attract any unwanted attention, do we?''.

Tears welled up in Sara's eyes as her chest began to burn, desperate for air. The woman leaned in closer, her face inches from Sara's, her expression a mixture of amusement and cruelty.

''You will remember this, won't you?'' she whispered, her breath hot against Sara's ear.

With that Sara could feel the floor disappear from underneath her feet, as the whole world went black. 

The woman in the nurse uniform, gave her one last look, before she turned and left the bathroom, disappearing as quickly as she had appeared.