PANIC

VIVIAN

Just as the panic threatened to consume me, the sound of a door creaking open ahead

brought me to an abrupt halt.

A security guard stepped out of a nearby office, his brows furrowed with concern.

"What's going on? Are you alright?" he asked, his deep voice cutting through my fear.

I stumbled toward him, breathless. "Someone... someone was following me," I gasped, clutching my bag to my chest as if it could protect me.

"They were right behind me. I swear I heard them."

The guard's eyes narrowed as he glanced past me, scanning the hallway behind.

He stepped forward, moving down the now-silent corridor.

But it was empty.

The echo of footsteps, the shadow that had been following me…it was all gone, as if it had never been there.

He turned back to me, his expression softening. "There's no one here," he said gently, though his eyes stayed alert, still searching the dimly lit hallway.

"Are you sure you saw someone?"

I nodded, my heart still pounding. "I didn’t just see him…I hea