One Word Prompts

Dizzy - A Quiet Night

She walked alone down the quiet street, lazily passing from one island of lamplight to the next, her eyes on the stars above. A lovely, quiet night, by all accounts.

It had been a long day in the office, but not a busy one. Full, but not frantic. The kind of day one couldn't complain about. Engaging without being overwhelming.

She hummed to herself. Days like these were few and far between, even in the life of a humble office woman, she had every intention to enjoy it.

If anything, this walk to the distant bus stop was the only downside. But it was such a nice evening, even this, even in her heels, wasn't much to complain about. And, like she'd told her coworker who'd tried to give her a lift, it was a nice little exercise in the stationary cubicle life she lived.

So, humming along, her purse swinging on her shoulder, she didn't even mind as the night wind gusted, blowing through her business casual cardigan and ruffled her long skirt. She didn't mind the creeping fog the wind blew in. Didn't notice the shadows slinking in behind.

The shatter of glass behind her she couldn't ignore, though. She spun at the sound, one hand pulling her purse tight to her body, the other reaching for her keys in her pocket. Her eyes scanned the foggy sidewalk.

No one was there, but glass lay strewn on the dark ground. The streetlight above had broken, its pieces now covering the sidewalk behind her like a minefield.

The wind gusted again, cutting to her bone. She shivered, choosing not to think about how, if she had been a little slower, she might have been under that light when it fell. Choosing not to imagine her body covered in lacerations and filled with glass shards.

She walked on, her steps a little longer than they had been moments before. Her pace a little more hurried.

She was being silly. She knew that. How many times had she made this walk after work at this hour? Hundreds? Thousands?

She'd never seen another person. Never had a problem. Had always reached her bus stop with an easy smile.

Was it always this cold, though? She blew into her palms, rubbing her hands together. It had been so warm earlier today. It hardly seemed fair that it was so cold now.

A shiver ran up her spine. But it was more than the cold that had done it. Something instinctual picked at the back of her neck. Made her glance over her shoulder. A shadow stood behind her.

She jumped forward. Her heart leapt into her mouth, escaping her body in a panicked scream. She spun around.

There was no one.

She blinked.

No one stood in the pool of light behind her.

She put a hand to her chest, trying to reign in her panicked heart. It had been a trick of the light. The movement of the fog that was forming around her knees. The shadow of the dumpsters she'd just passed. Nothing more than the rising paranoia set off by the freak accident with the lamp.

There was nothing there.

She shook her head. This was silly. There was nothing out here. Nothing but her. Nothing but fog.

She continued again toward her bus stop, determined not to stop again. Faster and faster. Longer and longer steps. The fear crept up her again. It seeped over her skin. Made every hair stand on end.

Shadows hung heavy in the air around her, seeming to devour the meager light of the streetlights above.

She could feel something out there. Watching her. Waiting.