𝙇𝙮𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙨 (𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙭 𝙁𝙚𝙢! 𝙊𝘾) 𝙏𝙏𝘾

I Hate Big Cities, Especially Ones with Creepy People

TW: Being followed, brief mentions of a chase and a fight

Sylvia jumped out of the minivan, waved goodbye to Argus, and starting walking down the busy streets of Manhattan. She looked aroung, noting the different shops, the liquor store, and an extremely sketchy, weed-smelling place. She decided to stay away from that area.

She was about halfway to the car (it was 20-ish minutes away) when she heard footsteps directly behind her. Now, this isn't too unusual, but something in her gut told her to turn around immediately. She trusted her instincts and whipped her head around, slapping a hand that was reaching for the hair that was in a ponytail a moment before.

Frick. What do I do, who is this person? Where'd I put my knife? Please tell me I have a normal one on me...

The person (who she couldn't see because their face was covered by sunglasses, a mask, and a hood) let out a grunt of annoyance. Sylvia opened her mouth to scream, say anything, do anything to draw attention, when the person, too quickly for even her to realize what was happening, covered her mouth and shoved her into an abandoned alley that was conveniently nearby.

Nope. I know how this ends, and I won't let it happen.

Even with the knowledge that it was probably a trap, Sylvia elbowed the person in the gut, punched them in the nose, and ran further into the alley. She grabbed a steel knife from the pocket of her dark blue hoodie once she thought she was far enough away to stop, but was proven wrong when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

She froze, remembering the last time a hand grabbed her there. 

Maman.

She tried to do anything, to say anything, but found she couldn't move.

"Be a good girl and don't fight back," the person drawled in a low, dangerous voice. 

I--

The person moved, but before Sylvia could find out what they were going to do (she already knew, but whatever) she heard a voice. Singing. 

All I know, all I know, loving you is a losing game. 

The person's head snapped up, their sunglasses falling off. Their eyes looked dazed, as if in a trance.

How many pennies in the slot?

Huh, Sylvia thought. This is the song I listened to last. Arcade.

The person's hand fell off her shoulder, and they started walking away. Sylvia realized now was the time to run. She ran as quickly as possible to the car, jumping in the passenger seat after checking the windows to make sure Percy was in it. For some reason, he was in the back.

"Hello," Percy's mom greeted. "I'm Sally, Percy's mom. I'm assuming you're Sylvia?"

Oh, wow, she's really pretty. And seems nice. "Yeah, I'm Sylvia," she said between breaths.

"Why were you running?" Percy questioned.

"Gets me to places faster," Sylvia replied.

"Yeah, but isn't walking easier?"

Not when some creepy person is following you, and you don't know how long it'll be until they fall out of that trance, whatever that was.

"Meh. Why do you care?" she asked, purposely making her voice "slightly" rude.

"I don't! Also, why are you holding a steel knife?" he asked.

Does he really not know about this kind of stuff-