DARK STRANGER
by Anthony J Fuchs
SmashWords
Edition
Copyright
2011 Anthony J Fuchs
All rights reserved
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Rose listened to her heels click against the cement of the third-floor stairwell.
The bulb at the landing gave out weeks ago, and now she made a habit of jogging through that 20-step stretch of shadows. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She pushed the second floor door open, leaned against the wall, closed her eyes. She counted down from five to one, and just breathed. Deep inhale, slow exhale, deep inhale, slow easy exhale. She concentrated on the thumping of her jugular in her neck as it gradually slowed, slowed, and stabilized.
She opened her eyes again to find the promenade of the parking garage. She blew off a heavy breath, convinced herself that she was calm as she wiped her sweaty palms on the legs of her khakis, and started into the labyrinth of vehicles. Motor oil and windshield wiper fluid stung the air. The inward, scolding voice at the back of her mind declared that she would no longer work past six o'clock. A breeze whipped through the mezzanine, and she shivered. The empty night hung darkly out the open left wall, and she could see the lighted windows of the offices across the courtyard. Rose pulled the collar of her tan duster tighter around her neck.
She passed a silver Windstar she didn't remember seeing on the way in, eyed an unfamiliar red Jeep Wrangler, and stopped. She cast an anxious glance back to the stairwell, a pall of pale yellow light spilling in through the open passage. Her fingers tightened around her clutch purse. She felt the reassurance of cold steel inside, and turned back to the line of vehicles.