i

City, Pla

ieve she forgot to

a was on her day off, so she had to go solo for tonight's shift. She didn't really mind since she was used

she will be alright since

mostly experience scatters of rain showers or drizzle

of her pocket to check t

She even tried to catch the 10:40 PM ride one time, but the bus had already left. It was super inconvenient for her and Te

nded, "I just can't do that.

to staying and doing overtimes, but they were too kin

to continue reading once she's at home. She marked the page with a book marker and carefully

the time was. To amuse herself, she decided to play a crossword puzzle game on her phone. A

her shift and was headed to the bus stop. She updated her friend t

ust have gotten it from her Texan mother who Vida met once during Thanks

tting wet from the downpour to see the sky a

. The figure was that of a man carrying an umbrella. Once he reached

ed the nod and checked her phone again. 10:

orm we got tonight,

et with collars standing up to cover his ears. He had a five-o'clock shadow and

rsation? Conversing with people is not exactly her forte. That's why T

to strike up a conversation, possibly idling away the

o bad." th

57

s your

ront of her. She was starting to fe

pretended to not h

ked you what

eaf and checked her

and yanked her to stand up.

om this friendly bystander to a p

to tug her arm but the ma

e wouldn't be in this situation,

d not mean that literally. She just hoped the man wo

st the man's hold on her. She didn't know what else to do. She could not reach for the whistle that was in her bag. She could also n

-

E

artment, N

ight and Vida ha

Add this fucking rain into the equation. Vida was supposed to be home by now. It was approximately a 20 minute ride from t

r's life from happening ever again. She made sure that Vida got along with her program by getting her a whistle, pepper spray and a switchblade. Vida thought i

the pudgy man who seemed to hit on her everyt

ssie." Ben

check in on Vida. Has she com

t off-guard by Tessa's tone. "I'm sorry, Tess

ank. "Alright,

e." Benjie replied

She just can't sit and wait for best friend to reply. Especially not with this kind of weather. Tessa made su

-

lt

te quarters, K

Colter exhausted, both

nge was how Gian looked more shaken than he was and that they corroborated each other's encounter. The King just listened as the Queen comforted

ired to their private chambers. Gian immediate

they could sleep after those baffling occurrences, t

d and drifted off to sleep. Colter's final thought before his mind descended to unconsciousness was

ying from a pair of red eyes staring at him through the

kind. It was raining hard too. He could barely make out anything in front of him

'll give you all my m

the path. The light from the distant lamp was e

he was a more than a foot taller than her. They were both soaked in the ra

ou think I wa

. The man howled in discomfort but it wasn't enough to stop his

to grab him, ready to throw him off of the woman. But before he could touch the

ff the feeling that that woman was in danger and she needed help. If that man could lay a finge

om or if he had been to that specific location. Frustratingly, nothing close came

there, a woman

ad another thin

-

E

n, New

o file a search for a mis

in. The lobby of the police precinct was slow at this hour and the civilians in the roo

the officer did not even bot

dy closed for the day. The bus stop was empty except for an umbrella that was left

ached a dead end, she decided to go to the

s desk. He looked bored and slightly irritated because of

arently, Mr. Soduko here is all she got. "Vida Vance. 28 years old. About 5'4 tall. She wears glasse

ion of Vida. Tessa was ready to climb over the desk an

st contact?" th

uez. 29 years old

at we can contact? She probably just

gency here. My friend has been missing for two hours now in this fucking rain storm and she has not replied to any of my text messages or calls. T

his report properly so I can get this into the system. We have officers on patrol who

please skip the paperwork and put out w

what is go

nd another police officer

ere no one seemed to be paying attention to her emergency. "My friend is alone and I don

urned to his colleague and took the clipboard on the desk. "I'll take i

hrug as if to say,

ortant information as to her last whereabouts." Detective Shawn reached for the radio on his belt and addressed to it. "9544 Detective Matthews on d

plied on the walk

Tessa had an intrusive thought: a vision of the dark a

d herself. "Excuse me, Detective Mat

, not exactly sure how she would know since she wa

n for her best friend. "Please, Detective. You nee