Is That Mom

Part 6 of Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Shadows of the Past

—

Part 6:

A Narrow Escape

The pounding footsteps echoed behind them, a relentless rhythm of fear driving Ethan and Sarah forward. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, hearts hammering as they sprinted through the shadowy streets. Every turn felt like it brought them closer to a dead end, the oppressive darkness of the town swallowing them whole. Behind them, the figure still pursued, silent yet menacing, their presence suffocating.

Ethan’s lungs burned, his muscles screamed for relief, but he pushed on, driven by adrenaline and pure survival instinct. Beside him, Sarah’s face was pale, her usual guarded demeanor cracked under the weight of their shared terror. They needed to lose the pursuer, and fast.

“There!” Sarah pointed toward a narrow alleyway between two buildings, barely visible in the night.

Without a word, they dove into the alley, squeezing between the crumbling brick walls. The alley was so narrow that Ethan’s shoulders brushed the cold, jagged stone as they slid through the tight space. They kept moving until they reached the back of the alley, where a rusty fire escape loomed overhead, offering a slim chance of escape.

“Climb,” Sarah whispered, breathless but resolute.

Ethan didn’t hesitate. His hands gripped the cold, iron rungs, pulling himself up with all the strength he had left. Sarah followed closely behind, her footfalls light and deliberate. As they ascended, the clatter of the fire escape felt impossibly loud, and Ethan winced with every creak of metal. His heart raced—any sound could give them away.

At the top, they found a small landing that overlooked the alley and the streets beyond. Ethan crouched low, trying to calm his breath as he listened. For a terrifying moment, all he could hear was the frantic pounding of his own heart.

Then the footsteps. Slow, deliberate. Their pursuer was close—too close.

Ethan froze, holding his breath as the figure’s shadow passed below. The footsteps paused at the entrance to the alley, as though the pursuer knew they were hiding nearby. Ethan exchanged a tense glance with Sarah, her eyes wide with fear but her body coiled in silent anticipation. For a moment, time seemed to stretch, the air thick with dread.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the footsteps continued, fading into the distance. The figure moved on, oblivious to their hiding place.

Ethan let out a long, shaky breath, relief flooding his veins. They had made it. But the terror that had driven him this far didn’t fade—it shifted, morphing into something darker, something that had been festering inside him for far too long.

Anger.

He climbed down from the landing, his body trembling not from exhaustion but from the storm brewing inside him. As soon as they were back on the ground, he spun around to face Sarah, his fists clenched.

“This has to stop,” Ethan hissed, his voice low but laced with fury. “I can’t keep doing this. Running, hiding, being chased—what the hell is going on?”