Piper didn't want to admit this out loud, but her home was quite a walk away from here. The neighborhood she lived in wasn't exactly the type to contain friendly green parks and expensive makeup stores. She had to travel for those. It was good exercise, though. Piper needed to keep her legs looking slim in case a modeling scout finally noticed her.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
At first, Piper just thought she was paranoid because of today's conversation as she walked home. Because, she had this distinct feeling of there being, like, eyes on her back. It made her skin crawl. But the feeling persisted. For miles. She was more than halfway home and still she felt like something was out there. Okay, enough of this bullshit. She concentrated on her breathing a moment, came to a stop, then projected herself forward in time by only two minutes.
When she opened her eyes, she saw herself several paces ahead. But the really horrifying thing, was that she was in the clutches of something inhuman. It had its claw wrapped around her throat!
Holy shit! Holy shit. No! No. Breathe. Don't panic. This was two minutes from now?! Fuck, fuck, fuck! She's rooted to the spot in terror, watching her future self scream as the thing leans in closer. Fuck!! FUCK. She was about to watch herself die??
No. No! she was NOT.
Piper willed herself back to the present. The moment her eyes snapped back open, she turned directions and ran. Anywhere but forward. Anywhere but closer to that possible fate. She heard the snarl of something in the darkness. That thing -whatever it was??- was it chasing her? Piper ducked into the breezeway of a nearby apartment, taking the metal stairs two at a time. She made as much noise as humanly possible. She could have cheered when saw the blinds rattle in a couple of windows. Yes. Good. Someone was watching.
"Fuck it," Piper said to herself. She tucked into a corner of the stairwell and pulled out her phone. Tonight a taxi ride the rest of the way home would be money well-spent.
It wasn't until the car had safely dropped her off in front of her own apartment, until she'd gone inside and locked all three deadbolts, that she took a real and complete breath in. Fuck. That was really close. Too damn close. She wrapped herself in blankets despite the California heat and curled up in her bed.
The next morning saw Piper looking less than well-rested as she waited for Les in the park. She fidgeted in place on the bench. A latte would have been welcome, but she used too much money getting home last night. So, the stale remainder of last night's brew her mom left in the pot after going to work was the best she'd been able to manage. And it hadn't felt like nearly enough.
She'd debated calling Les last night. If they didn't already have this meeting planned, she would have. She looked genuinely relived when she saw the woman approaching. Those self-defense lessons don't sound bad AT ALL now.
Here is good. Sorry it took me this long <3
Piper didn't want to admit this out loud, but her home was quite a walk away from here. The neighborhood she lived in wasn't exactly the type to contain friendly green parks and expensive makeup stores. She had to travel for those. It was good exercise, though. Piper needed to keep her legs looking slim in case a modeling scout finally noticed her.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
At first, Piper just thought she was paranoid because of today's conversation as she walked home. Because, she had this distinct feeling of there being, like, eyes on her back. It made her skin crawl. But the feeling persisted. For miles. She was more than halfway home and still she felt like something was out there. Okay, enough of this bullshit. She concentrated on her breathing a moment, came to a stop, then projected herself forward in time by only two minutes.
When she opened her eyes, she saw herself several paces ahead. But the really horrifying thing, was that she was in the clutches of something inhuman. It had its claw wrapped around her throat!
Holy shit! Holy shit. No! No. Breathe. Don't panic. This was two minutes from now?! Fuck, fuck, fuck! She's rooted to the spot in terror, watching her future self scream as the thing leans in closer. Fuck!! FUCK. She was about to watch herself die??
No. No! she was NOT.
Piper willed herself back to the present. The moment her eyes snapped back open, she turned directions and ran. Anywhere but forward. Anywhere but closer to that possible fate. She heard the snarl of something in the darkness. That thing -whatever it was??- was it chasing her? Piper ducked into the breezeway of a nearby apartment, taking the metal stairs two at a time. She made as much noise as humanly possible. She could have cheered when saw the blinds rattle in a couple of windows. Yes. Good. Someone was watching.
"Fuck it," Piper said to herself. She tucked into a corner of the stairwell and pulled out her phone. Tonight a taxi ride the rest of the way home would be money well-spent.
It wasn't until the car had safely dropped her off in front of her own apartment, until she'd gone inside and locked all three deadbolts, that she took a real and complete breath in. Fuck. That was really close. Too damn close. She wrapped herself in blankets despite the California heat and curled up in her bed.
The next morning saw Piper looking less than well-rested as she waited for Les in the park. She fidgeted in place on the bench. A latte would have been welcome, but she used too much money getting home last night. So, the stale remainder of last night's brew her mom left in the pot after going to work was the best she'd been able to manage. And it hadn't felt like nearly enough.
She'd debated calling Les last night. If they didn't already have this meeting planned, she would have. She looked genuinely relived when she saw the woman approaching. Those self-defense lessons don't sound bad AT ALL now.