Emma always believed in small acts of kindness. Every morning on her way to work, she passed the same homeless man sitting quietly on the corner, his eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and sadness. One day, she decided to stop. With a warm smile, she handed him a bag of food, expecting nothing more than a polite “thank you.” But an hour later, he returned with a crumpled note in his hand. At first, Emma thought it was a gesture of appreciation, but as she read the words inside, her heart began to race. What started as a moment of compassion was about to lead her into a mystery she could never have imagined.
A Message Left Behind
The note Emma clutched in her trembling hands was far from ordinary.
Earlier that morning, she had stopped to give the man a warm meal, offering a kind smile before hurrying off to work. It wasn’t the first time she’d noticed him sitting silently at the same corner, but it was the first time he acknowledged her beyond a nod. When he handed her the note an hour later, his eyes lingered on hers—intense and almost pleading—before he shuffled away without another word.
Unfolding the paper, Emma’s brow furrowed as she read the scrawled message: “You’re in danger. Don’t trust him.”
Her breath caught. The words were shaky, written in haste, but unmistakably urgent. Who was “him”? What did this man know that she didn’t? Emma’s mind raced as she glanced over her shoulder, scanning the busy street for anything—or anyone—that seemed out of place.
It wasn’t just a warning; it felt personal. And as much as she tried to dismiss it as the ramblings of a troubled mind, a nagging sense of dread began to creep in. She folded the note and slipped it into her bag, her heart pounding as she continued toward her office.
But as Emma turned the corner, she felt it—a pair of eyes on her. Her skin prickled, and she quickened her pace. For the first time, the bustling city streets felt far too quiet, the faces around her far too unfamiliar.
Something wasn’t right.
