Dusk Till Dawn

3

Freya

I fold the last piece of laundry, letting the silence wrap around me. After finishing work yesterday I came straight home and ate more leftovers. I hate wasting money. It brings back memories of the struggle years ago. Yesterday was horrible—given that random catcalling bum. I shook my head as I peeked the documents I had to organize.

I had college in a fine University, but getting those documents... that was a nightmare. I still have debts. My hands are full of scars from the work.

Suddenly, my neighbor's dog barks—loud and urgent, the kind of bark when it sees a stranger. My heart quickens. I close the curtains and lock the door, making sure I stay out of sight. There's rustling on the porch. I freeze, my back pressed against the wall.

The doorbell rings, and a wave of panic shoots through me. Slowly, I peek through the window. As my hand reaches for my phone to call 911, I recognize the person outside. My tension eases just a bit.

It's Hannah.

I take a moment to compose myself before opening the door, forcing calm over the panic. When I finally greet her, she offers me an apologetic smile.

"Hannah?"

"Good morning, ma'am! I know it's Saturday, but I forgot to give you this yesterday." She hands me an ID, smiling brightly.

I look at it, confused. It's me on the card, but... I've never been to this bank. My brows knit together. What the hell?

"You weren't answering your phone, so I figured I'd drop it off. I thought you might need this ID."

"Where did you get this, Hannah?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady. She frowns, just as confused now.

"Someone returned it at the café," she said. I was about to respond when I suddenly felt a chill, as though someone was watching us. I glanced around, my unease growing, and motioned for her to come inside.

"You know what? Let's talk inside." I smile warmly, hoping she doesn't notice the anxiety bubbling up. She nods and steps in, her first time inside my house. As she settles in the living room, I make us coffee. She stays calm, while I feel the world unraveling beneath me.

"Your house is so neat, ma'am!" she compliments. I barely manage a "thank you" in response, my thoughts spiraling. "So, about the ID," she starts. "It was a guy who dropped it off."

My eyes snap to hers. "What did he look like, Hannah?" I ask, careful not to sound too eager.

"Mid-twenties, tall, and..." She pauses, smiling a little. "I mean, ma'am, he was pretty good-looking."

My heart skips a beat, fear seeping into every pore.

"Is everything alright, ma'am?" she asks, concern coloring her voice.

No.

"Yeah, just a headache. Probably nothing."

She looks at me like I'm acting strange, but I wave it off. "You probably need some rest, then, ma'am. I should get going—Connor's picking me up soon."

She stands as we hear a car pulling up. "That's him now," she smiles. I nod, forcing a smile of my own.

We walk outside, and I wave as they drive off. Connor is a good guy. Hannah's lucky. She has someone to share her life with. Someone who loves her.

I turn the ID over in my hand. It looks like mine, but I'm certain it isn't.

Are they after me? Have they found me?