The wind blew harder, a sign of the thunderstorm yet to come. Elena pulled her coat closer and huddled up, trying to keep the warmth of her body from escaping. A few drops of water fell on her forehead and rolled down the side of her nose. In her hurry to reach before the rains drenched her, she brushed past the cornerstone of a building and her purse was bumped from her hand. She turned around to pick it up and froze as she caught a glimpse of a dark figure quickly melting into the shadows of an alley nearby.
Elena's heart quickened. As she pushed her purse back into her handbag, her fingers closed around the unused can of pepper spray. She had only brandished it a few times to chase away the occasional stalker. The thought of actually having to use it terrified her. She looked around. It had started to drizzle and the street suddenly wore an abandoned look. A sudden thud startled her and she spun around, the pepper spray in her hand. A garbage can rolled back and forth, its contents spewed across the pavement.
Panic began to well up in Elena's heart and she walked faster. Just as the rain started to pour down more heavily, she turned another corner and the familiar gate to her apartment greeted her. She sighed in relief and raced into the building. Walking up the stairs, she laughed nervously at her still fluttering heart. A misplaced step flung her forward on to her hands. Pain radiated through her right ankle - she knew that wearing those high heels to work was a bad idea. Picking up her bag, she turned to face the window on the landing behind her. She stared at the black hooded jacket reflected in the glass for a few seconds, motionless.
A muffled shriek escaped her lip. Engulfed by the darkness, the only sound she could hear was her heart beating frantically. She didn't hear him approach till she felt the cold blade of the knife rest on her throat.
******
He stood over her lifeless body. He was accustomed to the dark and he could see her contours as though they were bathed in the brightest light. He ran his hand over the bloody blade, watching it slide off. Placing the knife on a nearby table, he began looking around at the currently unoccupied and well-furnished house. A flat-screen TV mounted on the wall caught his attention and after a brief search for the remote, he sat down with his legs up on her designer couch and turned on the football game.
It had stopped raining.
******
