169: Always There

The night was crisp as I walked through Everlin Park, the silence of the space amplifying my unease. I checked my watch—7:15 PM. Drake was late. I tried calling him again, but the call went straight to voicemail. I was beginning to think he wasn’t coming when I noticed a figure approaching. A man, visibly drunk, staggered towards me, clutching a bottle. My heart skipped a beat. This wasn’t a good situation. “Hey there,” he slurred, his gaze roaming over me. “You’re really beautiful. I don’t think it’d be a bad idea for us to have some fun here. After all, we’re alone.” I took a step back, trying to stay calm. “Please, don’t come any closer,” I said, hoping to defuse the situation. But the man didn’t listen. He grabbed my hand, his grip tight and unnerving. “I want to hear you scream my name.” My pulse raced as I yelled, “Let go of me!” But he only tightened his hold and shoved me to the ground. I tried to scramble away, but he was already on top of me, pinning me down. Suddenly,