Oblivion

B| Be our guest I

Highschool

THIRD PERSON

The cool evening air hit Josephine's face as she stepped out of the cinema, her two new friends, Sarah and Maya, laughing beside her. The movie had been a comedy — a silly, feel-good film full of over-the-top antics and ridiculous gags. It was the kind of film that had them all in stitches, and the buzz of laughter still lingered as they made their way down the darkening street.

"I swear, I've never seen anything like it," Maya said between laughs. "That guy in the chicken suit—hilarious!" Josephine smiled, but her attention drifted. The street was unusually quiet for a Friday night. Just a few scattered people walking home or waiting at bus stops, their footsteps echoing in the cool night air.

"Yeah, I think I might have actually spilled my popcorn laughing so hard," Sarah said, wiping her eyes with one hand. "Next time we need to watch something more romantic okay?" Josephine nodded absentmindedly, but a cold shiver ran down her spine. She had felt it before she saw them — the three men standing across the street, leaning casually against the brick wall of a building. At first, she tried to ignore them, but the moment they locked eyes, a chill of unease settled deep in her gut.

She kept walking, but the men didn't move. Their eyes stayed fixed on her and her friends.

"Hey, Josephine," Sarah said, noticing the slight change in her demeanor. "What's wrong?" She didn't answer immediately. Her heart began to beat faster. There was something about the way those men were standing — too still, too deliberate. They weren't just passing by. They were waiting for something. 

"Just keep walking," she muttered. "Let's get to the bus stop."

But even as she said it, the three men began moving toward them, crossing the street without any hesitation. There was no mistaking their intent now. They were heading straight for her group. Josephine's breath quickened, and she instinctively took a step closer to Lena and Maya, trying to shield them with her body. Her pulse was racing in her ears. This wasn't just some random encounter. She knew it. The tallest of the three men, with a scar running down the left side of his face, grinned as he approached. "Hey, pretty girls," he called out. His voice was low and smooth, but there was something menacing behind it. "We've been lookin' for you."

Josephine's heart dropped. Her mind raced for a plan, but there was no time to think. She needed to get her friends to safety — now.

"Sarah, Maya, listen to me," she said quickly, her voice low and urgent. "You need to go. Right now."

"Huh?" Sarah frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"No time to explain, just—go!" Josephine urged, her eyes darting to the men as they took another step forward. "Please. Go!" Maya hesitated, glancing between Josephine and the men, still unsure. But Josephine grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her gently but firmly in the direction of the bus stop. "Run," she whispered. "Get to safety. I'll be fine."

Sarah and Maya didn't need another push. They finally took off, running in the direction Josephine had pointed. Josephine watched them go, her chest tight with worry, but there was no time to hesitate. Her eyes flicked back to the three men, who had stopped just a few feet away. The man with the scar stepped forward, his grin widening. "Good. Now it's just you and us."

Josephine backed away instinctively, her hand instinctively slipping into her bag to feel for the pepper spray she always kept there. But as she took another step back, the man suddenly held up his hand, signaling his companions to stop.

"I'm sure you're wondering what we want," the man said with an almost casual tone, as if they were discussing the weather. "It's simple, really. We've got a little message for your brothers."