204 Greystone Court
May 23rd , 2031 - 9:31 AM
Noho raced down the bustling streets of New York, her mind buzzing with questions she couldn't ignore. Curiosity clawed at her thoughts, demanding answers. She knew it was probably a trap—a trick to lure her into something dangerous—but she couldn't resist the pull to find out what was really at the address the so-called "homeless" man had given her: 204 Greystone Court.
She stopped at the steps of a small corner store at an intersection and sat down, catching her breath. Swinging her backpack off her shoulders, she pulled out her phone and opened the GPS. Her fingers hesitated for a moment before typing in the address. As soon as the map loaded, she jumped back to her feet and started sprinting in the direction the GPS pointed.
"Turn right on East 14th Street," the robotic voice from her phone instructed.
Noho darted onto East 14th Street, weaving through the crowd of pedestrians, narrowly avoiding collisions. Her dress shoes slapped against the pavement, and the air was filled with the chaotic hum of New York City—horns blaring, distant chatter, and the occasional shout. She glanced down at the time on her phone as she ran.
It's 9:31. I've got about an hour to get to Mr. Fake Homeless' house, confront him, and make it back to school before the graduation ceremony starts.
The GPS estimated a ten-minute arrival time, but Noho was determined to cut that in half. Her lungs burned as she pushed herself harder, her backpack bouncing against her back. After five minutes of sprinting, she skidded to a stop in front of a townhouse with a small mailbox perched at the edge of the stairs. The faint metallic numbers "204" glinted in the morning light.
"204 Greystone Court," Noho whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the noise of the city. "This has to be the right place."
She climbed the short flight of stairs leading to the front door, her legs trembling slightly from the run. She paused at the threshold, staring at the door in front of her. Her pulse quickened. What if this is a mistake? What if he's dangerous? The doubts flooded her mind, but she shook them off.
With a shaky hand, she reached for the doorbell and pressed it. The faint chime echoed from somewhere deep inside the house. Noho shifted on her feet, waiting, for someone to answer
Finally, she heard slow, deliberate footsteps approaching from the other side of the door. The door creaked open just enough for someone to peek through, revealing the face of a young girl, partially obscured in the dim light.
Noho froze, her breath caught in her throat as she stared into the stranger's curious eyes.