In Trouble

One

One

It was one of those strange days where everything was grey and I don’t mean just because I happen to live in the city with the most shades of it, AKA London. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong for me today, did.

Trying to lift my spirits and feel better about myself, I slip into an outfit that I actually like and spend far too long in front of the mirror either telling myself that I am pretty or picking myself apart for every imperfection, be that real or made up. I seem to be making a lot of things up lately, at least according to Zach, my boyfriend. Well, ex boyfriend as of this morning, I guess.

Apparently, I am too anxious, too stressed out, too fidgety and it’s becoming too much for him as well. I am too much for him, for, and I quote, ‘sucking the fun out of everything’.

He sure didn't mind my sucking when his d**k was involved.

“Fun.” I snort as I look out the window, catching the figure of a man that made himself look busy as soon as I looked at him. But he's too far and I can't make out any of his facial features. From this angle he appeared to be looking up. I roll my eyes imagining one of my neighbors walking naked in front of their windows, giving this guy a show. p*****t!

“I’m not fun. I’m too predictable.” I grumbled at the words Zach used to describe me. Well, look at me being unpredictable and going out for a walk in the park opposite my apartment building. I bet it’s fun walking in the light rain without giving a rat’s ass if you ruin your clothes or if people think you’re crazy.

I gave a quuck look towards another man standing with his back to me. I don't know why I had the urge to look, but I just got this intense vibe as I walked by him. I blame Zach for making me become paranoid.

I take it back. Walking is the weird misty drizzle that can’t even be classed as rain, is in fact not fun.

My clothes are damp and my hair looks like it wants to fly back to the apartment, catching a ride on the back of the wind that’s blowing furiously.

I spot a bench not too far from the path I’ve taken, and with slouching shoulders and dragging feet I head there, plopping my body onto the hard, remote bench. If I'm not the poster girl for any woman that's ever been dumped, I don't know what I am.

Absentmindedly, I take my phone out to check and see if I have any texts from Zach, but there is nothing. Of course there isn’t. He broke up with me. Took his s**t out of my apartment like he’d only been visiting for the weekend, not living with me for nearly a year.

But since I’m an emotional mess, and keep pendulling from one state of mind to the complete opposite, my breathing becomes erratic thinking about the last 2 years Zach and I have been together. Tears try to sting my eyes, but none dare to roll on my cheeks.

I thought we were heading towards marriage and maybe children, towards a simple, comfortable, settled life together.

I don’t cry, I can’t. If I’m allowing myself to be totally honest here, I’m not heartbroken, I’m more dissapointed to have wasted 2 years of my life, because the count on my age keeps going upwards, getting dangerously more closer to 30 than to 20.

It’s cold outside, but unrelated to the weather, my skin prickles like all my senses are alerting me to imminent danger. I must have lost track of time, for it’s late afternoon and it’s starting to get darker by the minute.

Glancing discreetly to my left, I noticed the silhouette of a third, suspicious man, his head covered by a large hood.

Sure, it’s raining, and any sane person would cover their heads, hence why a man might wear his hood up, but there is this feeling of danger that’s lurking around. That, or I’m paranoid again. Zach had a habit of using the same adjective to describe me at times and now I'm too aware of that.

Pushing thoughts of Zach aside for a moment, I pretended to tie my shoelaces and use the opportunity to look in the man's direction. He’s standing still, in the same spot, my fight or flight instinct screaming to come to light.

I roll my eyes and shake my head at my own silliness. The guy is probably on the phone, having his own life crisis in a park, like some other people that we know. Say, kettle, have you met pot?

But as brave as I might be in my head, convincing myself there’s nothing to be worried about, the second I see the guy moving, and in my direction nonetheless, I bolt upwards and scurry the other way.

I kept my pace for a good minute, but unfortunately, the tall figure with a hood over his head was still walking behind me, on the same path. Not wanting to look like a paranoid fool, I increase my speed until I reach a point where the path splits.

Out of instinct, which, for the record, I shouldn’t trust anymore, I keep right. And because today is not my day, the faceless man keeps following me, and is now close enough that I can see his shadow, courtesy of the yellowish park lights. Like this situation needed to become more creepy.

It didn’t need to, but it got creepier nevertheless.

“Hey!”

My spine feels like a syringe full of iced water has been injected into it as soon as I hear a gruff voice, and it’s closer than I would feel comfortable.

I break into a light jog, the shadow following suit after me.

“Hey, stop!” The voice commands again, causing my job to advance to a run. For some idiotic reason, I turned my head and saw the man running after me. He’s tall, athletic and that’s about it. That's not much information to provide the Police with if I manage to get away from him. And that’s a big if, because he looks like he could run all night if needed, while I can't, my calves are stinging from the unusual effort.

Breathing hard, I look back a second time just as the man’t jacket rides up his torso, high enough to reveal the silver gun he has tucked in his trousers. My eyes widen and fear like I have never known ever before, grips me in a tight and painful embrace.

Having watched too many action movies, I targeted the large bin a few feet ahead, developing a plan that would make Bruce Willis proud.

Sprinting towards the bin, I stopped and with all my might I tipped it over behind me before taking off again. I had lost my advantage, but since the man chasing me was close behind, he tripped on the new obstacle and fell face forward into the asphalt.

"Now you just pissed me off!" He roars before getting up faster than a wild cat and resuming the chase.