Chapter 2 : The Streetlight
There was a man standing behind the streetlight. At first I thought he was one of them but the way he stood, calm, and unmoving, told me he wasn't .
His face was hidden in the shadows, but I could feel his eyes on me, heavy, sharp and unblinking. The air around him didn't just feel cold--- it felt wrong.
The air felt heavy, like someone had pushed down on my chest. I wanted to shrink into the seat, to disappear, but I could not. Even the kidnappers stopped talking.
I could feel him studying me, weighing me and silence stretched unbearably long.
I was paralyzed.
Then slowly he stepped closer. Not running. Not hurrying. My stomach twisted. My mind raced. Who is he? What does he want?
I whispered , almost to myself , " Who... who are youu?"
He didn't answer immediately. He just stopped a few meters away, tilting his head slightly as if observing an experiment.
And the he said :
"You shouldn't be here"
I didn't know what he meant--- was he warning me? Threatening me? Or signalling the kidnappers to keep control. The kidnappers in the car were scared now. Their confidence had vanished in his presence.
I realised this man-- had full control over the situation. And I was trapped between him and the kidnappers, with nowhere to hide.
Every muscle in my body screamed at me to run, to fight but I knew one wrong move could destroy any chance I had.
The streetlight flickered. For a second, I saw his face clearly. His sharp jaw, intense eyes and the veins along his arms made him look alive with control and danger all at once. I couldn't look away.
I whispered to myself : This night....
this night is never going to end .
And I realised, in that suffocating moment, the danger wasn't just from the kidnappers anymore. It was from him--- and I had no idea what he wanted, or if I would survive to find out.