right now I just have to concentrate on the walk home. Any time I look over my shoulder, I'll be feeding my paranoia a little more. Still, I wish I could see a camera somewhere nearby. Without one, I feel like I'm adrift, and don't like the fact that there's no way to go back and re-watch what's happening right now.
A moment later I hear footsteps again, just briefly, but I dig deep and force myself to keep facing forward. I quicken my pace a little, though, to the point that I'm a little breathless by the time I get to the next turning and head along dark, desolate Charles Road. This is the quickest way home, even if it means walking through parts of town that have a certain reputation. And there has to be a camera soon, there just has to be. This country is stuffed with CCTV cameras, I can't be in a black-spot for long.
When I'm halfway along the street, I hear footsteps again, shuffling behind me. I keep walking, but the footsteps continue. I want to turn and look, to prove to myself that there's no-one there, but at the same time I also know I can't afford to stoke my fears. I just have to -
Suddenly something bumps against my back, nudging my left shoulder.
I stumble slightly, but I manage to keep going. There's nothing behind me, I know that for a fact, so I force myself to look straight ahead as I get closer to the end of the street. I don't know how I'm going to get all the way home in this state, and there are tears in my eyes as I get to the corner and turn left, heading along Grange Road and quickening my pace further until I'm almost running. Turning to hurry along the entrance to Hayward's Close, I make my way down into the underpass and then finally – almost out of breath – I stop and lean back against the wall. I look back the way I came, and there's no sign of anyone, but I have to wait for a few minutes in the darkness and catch my breath.
“No-one's following you,” I whisper, although my voice is trembling with fear. “There's no-one, it's all in your head. You can beat this.”
I look around to see if there's any sign of a CCTV camera down here, but so far I can't see one. I know it shouldn't matter, but somehow I'd feel better if I knew I was being recorded.
“Grow up,” I tell myself out loud. “You're not going to let this crush you. You are not going to crumple up into a little heap.”
Turning, I start making my way along the dark underpass. I can already see the steps at the far end, leading up to Claremont Road, and slowly my heart-rate seems to be returning to normal. From Claremont Road it's not far to the roundabout, and there have to be cameras there. I could have completely lost my mind a moment ago, but for the first time I managed to hold myself together and I actually feel a little stronger. Not strong , not by a long shot, but definitely stronger , and still -
Suddenly I stop as I see someone standing on the steps that lead up from the underpass, about twenty meters ahead. Whoever the person is, he or she is standing so high up near the top of the steps that from here I can only see a pair of feet and lower legs, bathed in moonlight that spills down from the street above. I take a deep breath, telling myself that there's no reason to be scared, but when I take a few more steps forward I realize that the legs are bare. I slow my pace but I manage to keep going for a few more steps. I stop again when the figure's bare waist comes into view. It's a naked woman, standing completely still in the moonlight. The upper half of her body is obscured by the roof of the underpass, so I take a cautious step forward until I'm able to see her chest, with her large, bare breasts almost glowing in the moon's ethereal blue light.
I should turn around.
I should find another way home, I should -
Suddenly she takes a step down toward me, her breasts jiggling slightly as she moves. I try to see her face, but there's no face to see and for a moment I can't work out what's wrong until,
A moment later I hear footsteps again, just briefly, but I dig deep and force myself to keep facing forward. I quicken my pace a little, though, to the point that I'm a little breathless by the time I get to the next turning and head along dark, desolate Charles Road. This is the quickest way home, even if it means walking through parts of town that have a certain reputation. And there has to be a camera soon, there just has to be. This country is stuffed with CCTV cameras, I can't be in a black-spot for long.
When I'm halfway along the street, I hear footsteps again, shuffling behind me. I keep walking, but the footsteps continue. I want to turn and look, to prove to myself that there's no-one there, but at the same time I also know I can't afford to stoke my fears. I just have to -
Suddenly something bumps against my back, nudging my left shoulder.
I stumble slightly, but I manage to keep going. There's nothing behind me, I know that for a fact, so I force myself to look straight ahead as I get closer to the end of the street. I don't know how I'm going to get all the way home in this state, and there are tears in my eyes as I get to the corner and turn left, heading along Grange Road and quickening my pace further until I'm almost running. Turning to hurry along the entrance to Hayward's Close, I make my way down into the underpass and then finally – almost out of breath – I stop and lean back against the wall. I look back the way I came, and there's no sign of anyone, but I have to wait for a few minutes in the darkness and catch my breath.
“No-one's following you,” I whisper, although my voice is trembling with fear. “There's no-one, it's all in your head. You can beat this.”
I look around to see if there's any sign of a CCTV camera down here, but so far I can't see one. I know it shouldn't matter, but somehow I'd feel better if I knew I was being recorded.
“Grow up,” I tell myself out loud. “You're not going to let this crush you. You are not going to crumple up into a little heap.”
Turning, I start making my way along the dark underpass. I can already see the steps at the far end, leading up to Claremont Road, and slowly my heart-rate seems to be returning to normal. From Claremont Road it's not far to the roundabout, and there have to be cameras there. I could have completely lost my mind a moment ago, but for the first time I managed to hold myself together and I actually feel a little stronger. Not strong , not by a long shot, but definitely stronger , and still -
Suddenly I stop as I see someone standing on the steps that lead up from the underpass, about twenty meters ahead. Whoever the person is, he or she is standing so high up near the top of the steps that from here I can only see a pair of feet and lower legs, bathed in moonlight that spills down from the street above. I take a deep breath, telling myself that there's no reason to be scared, but when I take a few more steps forward I realize that the legs are bare. I slow my pace but I manage to keep going for a few more steps. I stop again when the figure's bare waist comes into view. It's a naked woman, standing completely still in the moonlight. The upper half of her body is obscured by the roof of the underpass, so I take a cautious step forward until I'm able to see her chest, with her large, bare breasts almost glowing in the moon's ethereal blue light.
I should turn around.
I should find another way home, I should -
Suddenly she takes a step down toward me, her breasts jiggling slightly as she moves. I try to see her face, but there's no face to see and for a moment I can't work out what's wrong until,
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