The door closed. The lock clicked.
That sound only confirmed what Anisa now knew with absolute certainty:she was truly alone. đ©
Even after setting down the groceries, she remained standing. Her hands still trembled. Her knees felt too weak to bear their own weight.
The events on the street replayed in her mind like a horrifying film on a loop. The crushing hand around her neck. The moment she couldn't breathe. The gun. The silence that answered her screams despite the populated street. đ«
Her own hand flew to her throat. The necklace was still there.
Anisa collapsed onto the sofa, still fully dressed, shoes and all. Her body had stopped moving, but her mind was still fleeing in panic. Even when she closed her eyes, all she saw in the darkness was Yugh's face; stern, furious, yet standing so powerfully between her and the threat. đ„
"It wasn't anything special because it was you."
His words struck her mind again, sharp and heavy.
"ButâŠwhat if you hadn't come today?" đ
The thought undid her. She began to cry again. This time, it wasn't a controlled sob, but a silent, broken weeping she couldn't contain.
After a while, she got up shakily to get water. The glass trembled in her hand. "Calm down, AnisaâŠ" she whispered to herself. But her heart continued its frantic pounding against her ribs. đ„
She walked to the window and looked down at the street. It was just a normal night now. Nothing. The sheer normality of it felt surreal.
"I could have actually died today." đ°
The truth of that statement settled upon her, a new and terrible weight.
She double-checked the lock on the door and retreated to her bedroom. She turned on two, then three lights, bathing the room in a harsh brightness. She lay on the bed, curled on her side, but sleep wouldn't come. đȘ
Every time she tried to close her eyes, she saw the street. The darkness. The silent windows. She heard her own choked cries.
That night, Anisa slept only in body. Her mind remained on that desolate street, trapped and utterly alone. đ