FICTION | FLASH FICTION

An Unexpected Fright

She heard the footsteps behind her. Louder. Closer.

Marlow wasn’t used to walking home alone. And definitely not at night. Her secretary usually accompanied her, but she had an unexpected dinner date that night. Marlow envied her secretary. She remembered when her calendar was filled with dates, but these days, she was lucky to even get a drink with a handsome stranger.

She left the office and headed down 5th Street. The city was still bustling with people even though it was after seven. She turned the corner and headed up Butte Avenue. She only lived a few blocks away and hated to spend money on a taxi if she could help it. Her mind drifted to the day’s business accounts. They’d just acquired a new one and Marlow had spent half the day reviewing the records. This account, if handled correctly, could put her on the map to success.

Then she heard the footsteps. Leather on pavement. Faint. Clip clap. Clip clap. It wasn’t that unusual for someone to be headed in her direction. If she wasn’t alone, she’d probably never even pay attention. She walked on.

The footsteps got louder. Closer. Clip clap. Clip clap. Marlow increased her steps. Her heart skipped a few beats. She laughed at herself for feeling frightened.

Faster and faster, the sound of footsteps got even closer. Marlow turned the corner and quickened her steps. She thought about taking a short cut through the park and then decided against it. She would be completely isolated in there. What if whoever was following her entered the park too?

The steps behind her turned into a slow jog. She could hear the quickened pounding on the pavement. Apprehension turned into real fear. Dare she look back? The sound intensified. Whoever was behind her was now running. Marlow’s heart raced. Her mouth went dry. She could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She sprinted across the street to head up the block toward her apartment building.

Clip clap clip clap clip clap.

The person behind her was running across the street too. She could almost feel his breath on her neck. Had she taken one too many chances in a city this big? Don’t let me die this way, she prayed. She kept running. Just a half of a block more and she would be home.

“Angie! Angie!” a voice behind her screamed.

Marlow looked ahead of her and saw a blond standing at the end of the block. She stopped, turned around and was nearly knocked down by a man running behind her.

“Oh sorry!” he apologized. “My fiancée is just there,” he pointed at the blond.

Marlow laughed nervously as she smiled at the man. He went on about his business, but she couldn’t help but still feel anxious. It hadn’t been what she thought at all, but she wouldn’t feel safe until she was inside her locked apartment.

©2020 Lori Carlson. All rights reserved.

Lori Carlson writes poetry, fiction, articles, creative non-fiction and personal essays. Most of her topics are centered around Relationships, Spirituality, Life Lessons, Mental Health, and the LGBTQ+ community. Check out her personal Medium blog here.