Trauma

There's a biting chill in the air.
Flickers of shadows taunt the pavement.
Your in-drawn breath shushes the night.

Ba-doom.
Ba-doom.

The thudding of your heart becomes a pounding in your head
Is that a set of footsteps falling into place behind you?
An involuntary shiver leads to a misstep.

Crack.

The snap of a twig amplified in the crisp air sends the flutter of menacing raven wings a-flapping skyward. The silence so poignant that your heel clicks echo upwards toward the darkened heavens.

Faster.
Your pace needs to be faster.
Walk faster.
Almost there. Get the keys out. Now. Dammit don't fumble. Got it.

Three more steps. Just three more, turn the lock, step in, lock the doors and key in ignition.
Click. Clack. Click.
Click.
Click.

A movement in the rear mirror catches your peripheral.
Shit.