When The Lights Go Out

Her arms wrapped tightly around her midsection as she hastily made her way down the street. 

Two more blocks.

Two more blocks.

If Adelaide repeated the words to herself often enough it was almost as if the evening wasn't biting into her; almost as if her silly mistake of leaving the jumper behind at the hospital could be self-forgiven. Although, how was she to know at the time that her new forty minute commute would end up taking the amount of time it was? That the car would break down fifteen minutes into her journey along one of the wood-lined streets and force her hand into either walking or waiting in solitude for the right person? She'd chosen the former, of course. 

Forever Adelaide the impatient. 

A gust of wind caused the young woman to grimace as she tightened her grip on herself, the thin uniform doing very little in its way to keep her warm. Her grimace only turned sourer when she heard the sound behind her. The distant 'rttt, rttt, rttt'  being the only sound she had heard since embarking on her walk - and being the all too familiar noise of footsteps. 

This was of no cause for concern to her, of course. If anything, there was something comforting about the noise; it was nice to know she wasn't so alone anymore. 

It wasn't until the footsteps quickened in pace that she felt her heart lurch forward in her chest, her own steps quickly doubling in speed. It was foolish. This was foolish, she reminded herself, still not slowing down - and yet something drove her forward, demanding that she continue to rush away. 

One more block.

The steps were closing in now - she couldn't turn around. She'd seen every horror movie that foreshadowed what was going to occur if she gave in - if she let her guard down for one second. She rounded the corner into the alleyway, a dumbfounded expression casting over her face as she stared at the dead end. 

"M'aam, I think you dropped this," the other woman's voice called, hurrying after her - she was almost upon Adelaide now. 

It had been hard. Not giving into her impatient nature; Adelaide could never wait for the big reveal. A small smile tugged at the edge of her lips as she slowly allowed herself to finally turn around, the lights of the alleyway flickering as she did so.

"Oh. Thank you," she purred, her eyes glimmering as the woman looked on in horror as she took in the blood stain on the white nurse's uniform Adelaide wore. It was true, Adelaide hadn't been expecting the stolen car to break down on her way back. Nor had she thought the woman would be the right one when she had been so slow to take the bait. But here she had her, caught in the alleyway and the hunt had been glorious.

The woman screamed as the lights flickered off. 

Adelaide had reached her destination.