Chapter - 3 - Threads of Danger

Threads of Danger

After the unexpected bump with the unknown man in the alley, Sam's pulse raced. His feet stumbled back, and as he regained his balance, his eyes darted to the ground. A sharp, metallic object gleamed under the dim light—a knife. It had dropped from the man's hand, or maybe his pocket. Either way, it had fallen dangerously close to Sam's feet. The sight of it made his stomach drop, and a cold chill ran down his spine.

The man cursed under his breath, his voice gravelly and full of menace. "Watch where you're going, idiot."

Sam instinctively froze, the blade so close to him, and the man's tone sending a sense of danger through his veins. His heart was hammering in his chest as the words sank in—this wasn't just a casual encounter. There was something about the way the man spoke, as if he had just lost something vitally important. It made Sam uneasy, as though he had unintentionally triggered something much darker.

"I—I'm sorry," Sam stammered, his breath quickening. His mind screamed at him to apologize, to get out of there as quickly as possible.

The man's eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, his shadow looming over Sam. "You better watch yourself, kid. You've got no idea what you just messed with."

Sam swallowed hard, the words chilling him even further. He glanced down at the knife again, still lying there, too close for comfort. He didn't know what to do—if he should say something more, or if he should just leave before this man turned dangerous. 

Without wasting another second, he immediately made a decision. His legs moved on their own accord, turning him around and propelling him away from the alley as fast as he could. 

*I need to get out of here.*

His breathing was erratic as he pushed himself to run, his heart still pounding from the encounter. The dark alley seemed to close in on him as his feet slapped the pavement, but he didn't dare look back. He could still hear the faint echoes of the man's curse, and something deep inside of him told him that the unknown man wasn't just an ordinary stranger.

Sam didn't stop running until he reached the safety of the main street, finally slowing down and forcing himself to take deep breaths. His hands shook as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He couldn't shake the image of the knife—the gleam of the blade, the way it had fallen with a deliberate precision. That wasn't just an accident. 

Shaking off the unsettling thoughts, Sam gathered himself and continued on his way. He still had to get to college—still had classes to attend. He tried to focus, but the earlier incident kept replaying in his head. The man's glare, the cursed words, the knife. It all felt like it belonged in a different world, one far darker than Sam had ever encountered.

Arriving at the campus, Sam breathed a little easier. The college was bustling with students, laughter filling the air as people gathered in groups. But even in the chaos, his thoughts kept drifting back to the alley, to the man, and to the strange sense of unease that clung to him.

He tried to focus on the lectures that followed, but he felt disconnected, like he was listening to the words without really hearing them. Each time the professor spoke, he could almost feel the tension from the alley crawl back up his spine. It was hard to ignore. The knife, the strange curse, the man's angry words—it all felt like it had happened in another lifetime, but the memory was fresh, vivid.

His thoughts returned to Kate—her smile, her warmth. The anniversary dinner they had planned. The kiss he'd hoped for. Thoughts of her distracted him from the nagging unease that wouldn't leave him. He made it through the day's classes, though he could barely recall what was discussed. His mind was elsewhere—focused on tonight, on Kate, on the date that was waiting for him.

By the time the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Sam couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He'd made it through a whole day, distracted by thoughts of Kate and the strange encounter in the alley. As students filed out of the classroom, he felt a sense of relief wash over him. The day was almost over, and the evening was his to look forward to.

He quickly pulled out his phone and sent Kate a message: *"Hey, I'm at the gate. Can't wait to see you."*

Minutes passed. No reply.

Sam shifted uneasily on the bench by the gate, glancing at his phone again. Maybe she was just running late. He checked the time—she had an hour to get here. He hadn't even realized how much time had passed since he'd arrived. He stood and began to pace, looking down the street, wondering if she was stuck in traffic or dealing with something.

Another fifteen minutes passed.

Still nothing.

Sam ran a hand through his hair, his stomach tightening. His thoughts began to race, filled with irrational worries. What if she forgot? What if something happened to her on the way here? What if—he quickly dismissed those thoughts, taking in deep breaths, trying to calm himself.

By now, his legs were starting to feel restless, and his gaze kept darting to the empty sidewalk. He couldn't help it. His heart pounded a little faster.

*Maybe she's just busy, maybe something came up. She'll be here soon.*

Minutes turned into hours, and still, Kate didn't appear.

Something wasn't right.

Sam checked his phone again, but there was no message from her. No word. No explanation. His fingers trembled as he typed out another message, but this time his thoughts were clouded with panic. *"Kate, where are you? I'm still at the gate waiting for you. What's going on?"*

He sent it. The seconds dragged by, stretching into what felt like eternity. The only response he got was the sound of the breeze in the trees and the voices of passing students, but none of them were hers.

And then, without warning, his phone buzzed. He grabbed it, expecting a reply, but it wasn't from Kate.

It was a message from an unknown number: 

*"You should have listened. She's not coming."*

The words hit Sam like a punch to the gut. His blood ran cold as his eyes stared at the screen, the weight of the message sinking in. 

Where was Kate? What did this mean? 

He looked around, his stomach churning. Something was terribly wrong.

[ End of the Chapter ]

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