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All the sounds she heard from the crooks and crannies around her were silenced. For a moment. Connie was now suspicious that something really was there. It was just sensed in her gut. The tall walls started to seem as if they were closing in, her fear building after each corner she crept around. She eventually did get a bit of elbow room with yet another branch in the alley. But something caught her very off guard that made her freeze in place. Something tiny but noticeable to her. The very faint, steady sounds of clicking. Like dog nails on a wooden floor. Or in this case, concrete. She whirled around with the sword in hand, not afraid to use it on whatever was spying on her. For a second, it faded out of hearing. Connie slapped herself internally, thinking it was her mind on edge. But then it was heard a second time. She did not spare a thought this time. The girl bolted in the other alley as soon as she heard the same noise very close this time. "I have a sword!" she shouted fearfully, her voice cracking a bit. One of the first things she was taught was to keep eyes on her opponent. But what was the point in doing that if there were no opponents to see?
The girl kept going deeper into the alley until she thought that no sunlight would peek in. It was almost.. too dark. But here, she could at least not be seen. So she thought. Keeping her sword in front of her, she backed up until she felt a dead end. Looking up, there were no visible windows lit up, nothing except the occasional graffiti piece poking into the light far above her. This.. would be a good place to stop. Connie slumped down, sitting on the cold concrete. "Great. Now I lost them." she complained, taking note of the two girls she saw earlier. Pulling out the crumpled note from her pocket, she barely made out the words a second time in the darkness. Why? she thought again. Why me? Why not anyone else? I don't know what makes me so special.. I just want answers. Feeling a bit fatigued and out of breath, her heart pounding, she decided to sit here for a while and contemplate what to do next. She knew nobody here. Nobody knew her. And she had to wait for whoever was out there to leave. What was that thing that made those sounds anyway? A feral dog or something? The girl made a mental note to keep an eye out for whatever monster was making the noise. All the while, her heart dropped, and she felt her face flush as she hugged her knees with one hand while holding the sword in the other.

