THUD! CLICK!
The door shut with a finality that echoed louder in Gloria's ears than it should have. With a deep breath, she twisted the key, locking it securely before slipping it into the pocket of her cardigan. The thin fabric did little to shield her from the biting cold, but she hugged it around herself nonetheless, bracing against the sharp gusts of wind that cut through the lonely streets.
The town was silent, too silent, save for the occasional rustling of leaves carried by the night breeze. If not for the dim, flickering glow of the streetlights, the road ahead would have been swallowed in darkness. Gloria's boots clicked against the pavement as she walked, each step heavier than the last, weighted down by memories she could never outrun.