Suddenly, he noticed a familiar figure walking behind her from the bus stop.
Jamal Crooks, clearly drunk, staggering, but keeping his eyes on Shanaya.
Malik quickened his pace, closing the distance.
Shanaya turned into Riverside Park, a shortcut home through a small alley.
Jamal followed her, picking up speed.
Malik felt his heart race.
He knew something irreparable was about to happen.
Shanaya hurried home through Riverside Park.
Her evening shift had been delayed by a car accident.
And now she was walking down the dimly lit alley, clutching her bag tightly against her shoulder.
She usually avoided the park after dark, but today fatigue had gotten the better of her.
She wanted to get home quickly, take a hot shower, and fall into bed.
The silence of the park was broken only by the sound of her footsteps and the distant noise of passing cars.
Suddenly, she heard heavy, uneven footsteps behind her.
