Isabelle couldn't breathe. The phone call echoed in her mind like a distant nightmare. The voice on the other end had been distorted, cold—threatening, even. "The truth is closer than you think, but it's dangerous."
She stood frozen in the dimly lit hallway, her heart hammering in her chest. Who was that person? How did they know her name? And what was this danger they spoke of?
The elevator doors slid shut behind her with a soft ding, but she barely noticed. Her mind was spinning, trying to piece together the puzzle she was trapped in. Richard, David, the mysterious figure watching her—each piece felt disconnected, but they were all part of something bigger. She just had to figure out what.
She turned and walked quickly, her footsteps echoing in the empty hall. The hospital felt eerily quiet, and she realized how isolated she truly was. Everyone around her seemed to have answers she didn't, but nobody was offering them. And with that strange voice on the phone, the growing sense of paranoia was becoming too much.
She reached the stairs and hurried down, the air heavy with the weight of her thoughts. She couldn't sit idly by and wait for someone to tell her what was going on. She had to take control. She had to find answers.
The main lobby was bustling with activity as nurses and visitors passed by, but Isabelle barely noticed them. Her eyes scanned the room, her gaze constantly shifting. There was something about this place, something familiar yet unsettling. She didn't belong here, not like this. She wasn't the patient—she was the one being watched.
As she moved toward the exit, her eyes caught a familiar figure standing near the entrance. It was David. His back was to her, but she recognized his broad shoulders, his distinct posture. For a moment, Isabelle's heart fluttered, the overwhelming need to speak with him surging through her. She needed to know the truth.
But before she could call his name, something stopped her. He was talking to someone—an older man, tall and imposing, with a sharp suit and cold, calculating eyes. Isabelle couldn't hear their conversation, but the exchange seemed tense. David's usual easygoing demeanor was gone. His shoulders were stiff, and he was glancing around nervously.
Her stomach twisted in a knot. Why was David acting so strange?
She took a few tentative steps closer, her instincts screaming at her to stay out of sight. But her curiosity was too strong. She couldn't help herself. She needed to know what they were talking about, needed to know what David was hiding.
As she inched closer, the older man suddenly turned toward her, his eyes locking onto hers. A cold shiver ran down Isabelle's spine. He didn't just notice her; he was looking for her. His eyes were sharp, like a predator sensing its prey. Isabelle froze, caught in his gaze.
For a brief moment, it felt as though time slowed. She could see the recognition in his eyes—he knew who she was. And he wasn't happy to see her.
David's voice broke through the tension. "I'll be right back," he said, his voice strained. He turned and walked quickly toward the lobby, the older man following him with a deliberate, almost predatory pace.
Isabelle stood motionless, her heart pounding in her chest. She had to know what was going on, but now was not the time. The man had seen her. He was coming for her. She had to get out.
With trembling hands, she turned and bolted toward the exit. She didn't look back, but she could feel the weight of someone's gaze on her. The stranger's eyes. David's. She didn't know who she could trust anymore.
Outside, the night air hit her like a wave, cold and sharp. She wrapped her arms around herself, her breath coming in quick gasps. The world felt wrong, and she couldn't escape the feeling that it was all closing in on her.
She needed to leave, but where would she go? The city stretched out before her, cold and unwelcoming. Isabelle couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was out there, waiting.
She walked briskly, the heels of her shoes clicking on the pavement. Her mind was a whirlwind of questions, each one more urgent than the last. What was happening? Who were the people in her life? Why couldn't she remember anything?
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and Isabelle jumped. She pulled it out quickly, hoping it was David or someone she could trust. But when she looked at the screen, her heart sank.
A new message.
"You shouldn't be out here alone."
It was from an unknown number. Isabelle's hands shook as she read the text over and over, the words sinking deep into her skin.
Who was watching her now?
Before she could think, a figure emerged from the shadows ahead of her. Isabelle froze, her breath caught in her throat. It was the man from earlier, the one who had been talking to David. His cold eyes gleamed in the dim light, his hands tucked into the pockets of his suit.
"You should have stayed inside," he said, his voice smooth and unnervingly calm.
Isabelle backed up, her instincts screaming at her to run. But she couldn't move. Her mind was frozen, and the man was getting closer with each step.
"What do you want?" she managed to whisper, her voice trembling.
The man smiled, a cold, predatory smile. "The truth, Isabelle. It's not something you can run from. It's time for you to remember."
With that, he reached into his coat pocket, and Isabelle's heart skipped a beat. Was he going to hurt her?
But before she could react, a loud screeching sound split the air—the unmistakable sound of a car skidding to a stop. The man's eyes flicked to the street just as a car screeched around the corner, headlights blinding them both. In that moment of distraction, Isabelle took her chance.
She ran.
The man cursed under his breath, but Isabelle didn't look back. She ran as fast as she could, the fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins, until she turned the corner and disappeared into the dark streets.
She didn't know where she was going, but it didn't matter. She was alive. For now.