Montse strolled leisurely down Hanover Street, the soft glow of streetlights casting a warm ambiance on the quiet neighborhood. It was late at night, and she decided to take her beloved dog, Bambi, for a peaceful walk before bed. The streets were mostly deserted, and the air was filled with a gentle calmness.
As they ambled along the dark, Bambi suddenly halted, his ears perked up and his gaze fixated on something beyond Montse’s field of vision. She glanced around, unable to discern anything unusual. Assuming it was just a passing squirrel or a distant noise, she tugged gently on Bambi’s leash, urging him to continue their journey.
“Come on, Bambi, let’s go,” she coaxed, but to her surprise, Bambi didn’t budge. He remained rooted to the spot, his attention fixated on the invisible entity only he seemed to perceive. Montse furrowed her brow and peered into the darkness, trying to make sense of Bambi’s unusual behavior.
“What are you looking at, Bambi?” she inquired, her voice laced with curiosity. And then, in the corner of her eye, she noticed a fleeting silhouette. A chill ran down her spine, and a foreboding sense of unease allowed its way into her heart. She quickened her pace, eager to distance herself from the mysterious figure.
Glancing over her shoulder, Montse saw that the shadowy figure had vanished. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, but her relief was short-lived. As she turned her gaze back toward the direction she had been heading, a man walking his own dog materialized before her, seemingly out of thin air. Startled, Montse stumbled back, her heart pounding in her chest.
“I’m sorry,” the man apologized, his voice sounding strained. “He tends to get worked up around strangers.”
Montse took a moment to steady her racing heart, inhaling deeply to regain her composure.
Something didn’t feel right, and her instincts screamed at her to be cautious. She mustered a nervous laugh with a polite yet guarded response. “It’s alright, but I should be on my way.”
The man nodded, his eyes lingering on her. “A cute name for a cute dog.” His facial expression mutated to a spitting image of deviance. “Anyways, you said you’re in a rush to get back home, sorry for the disturbance.”
The man‘s facial mouth mutated to a charmingly nice smile.
“Thank you, and no need to apologize.” Montse replied, her tone guarded yet polite. “His name is Bambi.”
With a final exchange of pleasantries, Montse and the man bid each other farewell, their paths diverging into the night. Yet, as Montse walked away, she couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that something was gravely amiss.
The encounter had left an unsettling impression on her, casting a shadow of unease over her thoughts. Her steps quickened, fueled by a growing sense of urgency as she yearned to reach the safety of her home.
As Montse hurried along, her senses heightened by a mixture of unease and determination, she heard the anguished cries of a distressed dog pierce through the night air.
Her heart sank, as she instinctively turned, a flicker of worry crossing her face as she checked if it was Bambi. To her immense relief, she discovered that it wasn’t her faithful companion.
However, the relief was fleeting, giving way to a surge of alarm as Montse followed the sound of the cries, her instincts urging her toward the source of the distress.
The sound led her to a dimly lit spot where she found the man she had encountered earlier. But his friendly demeanor had vanished, replaced by a menacing and predatory expression.
Before Montse could react, he grabbed her forcefully and shoved her into the trunk of his car. Darkness enveloped her vision as the trunk lid slammed shut, leaving her world to suddenly transform into a nightmarish reality she never could have anticipated.