Lena's eyes fluttered open to a cold gust of wind brushing against her skin. She blinked a few times, the darkness around her disorienting her senses. The sound of distant cars whooshing by filled her ears, and she sat up, feeling the rough concrete beneath her.
Her breath hitched as she took in her surroundings. She wasn't in her father's studio anymore.
Instead, she was in a shadowed corner, concealed from the stretch of highway that roared with speeding cars. The faint orange glow of distant streetlights barely reached her, leaving her in an unsettling pocket of darkness. A large, rusting dumpster loomed behind her, its foul stench hitting her nose.
"What the...?" she whispered, her voice shaky as she scrambled to her feet.
She clutched her cardigan tighter around her, her thin pajamas doing little to protect her from the biting cold. The rough pavement under her bare feet sent chills through her body.
Lena stepped out of the shadows, hesitantly approaching the side of the highway. Cars zoomed past, their headlights slicing through the dark like fleeting ghosts. The sound of engines was deafening, and the wind from the passing vehicles tugged at her hair and clothes.
The road stretched endlessly in both directions, disappearing into the distant horizon. It seemed to lead to a large city far ahead, its faint skyline shimmering under the moonlight.
But which city?
Her heart pounded as she turned in a slow circle, her confusion deepening. One moment, she'd been in her father's studio, caught in the strange glow of his computer screen. The next, she was... here. Wherever here was.
She reached for her pocket instinctively, but it was empty.
"No phone," she muttered, her voice trembling. "I left it on my bedside table..."
She cursed under her breath, the weight of her predicament settling on her shoulders. The faint glow of the city lights in the distance offered her only hope, but they seemed impossibly far.
"Okay," she whispered to herself, taking a shaky breath. "Just... walk. Someone will stop. Someone will help."
She stepped onto the shoulder of the highway, hugging herself as she trudged forward. The pavement was rough under her feet, and every passing car made her flinch, the gusts of wind tugging at her balance.
"Help!" she called out, waving at a car that zipped by. The driver didn't even slow down.
"Please, stop!" she shouted at another, her voice breaking. But the vehicle zoomed past without hesitation, leaving her standing there, defeated.
She tried again and again, flagging down car after car. None stopped. Some drivers didn't even glance her way, their faces illuminated briefly in the glow of their dashboards before they disappeared into the night.
"Damn it!" she cried out in frustration, kicking a loose piece of gravel. It skittered across the pavement, vanishing into the shadows.
With no other choice, Lena began walking again. Her feet ached, the cold biting into her soles, but she pressed on, her eyes fixed on the distant city.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. The road seemed endless, the skyline no closer than before. Her legs burned, her throat dry from the chill and the dust kicked up by passing cars.
Just when despair began to claw at her, the sound of tires screeching behind her shattered the silence.
She froze, her breath hitching as she turned. A car—a black sedan with tinted windows—had pulled to a stop on the shoulder, its headlights casting long, eerie shadows across the road.
Relief washed over her as she hurried toward the vehicle, her steps hesitant but hopeful. Maybe someone had finally decided to help.
The driver's window rolled down as she approached.
"Excuse me, I—" Lena's words caught in her throat as she got a clear look at the man behind the wheel.
His face was sharp and angular, his jaw lined with a faint stubble. His dark eyes glinted with something that wasn't kindness, and a cigarette dangled from his lips. He tilted his head, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face.
"Well, well," he drawled, exhaling a plume of smoke. "What's a little thing like you doing out here all alone?"
Lena's stomach churned. Something about his tone, the way he looked at her, set off alarm bells in her head.
"I... I'm lost," she stammered, taking a cautious step back. "I need help getting to the city."
The passenger door opened, and another man stepped out. This one was shorter but stocky, his thick arms straining against the fabric of his leather jacket. His nose looked like it had been broken one too many times, and he grinned at her with crooked, yellowed teeth.
"Lost, huh?" he said, his voice gravelly. "Looks like you found us instead."
The back door opened next, and two more men climbed out. One was wiry and jittery, his eyes darting around like a cornered rat. His hands twitched at his sides, fingers tapping against his thighs in a nervous rhythm.
The fourth man was the largest, towering over the others with broad shoulders and a shaved head that gleamed under the moonlight. He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression cold and calculating.
"Maybe she's running from someone," the wiry man said, his voice high-pitched and wheedling. "Why else would she be out here in the middle of the night?"
"Doesn't matter," the broad-shouldered man said, his voice low and menacing. "She's here now."
Lena's pulse raced as she took another step back, her eyes darting between the men.
"I don't want any trouble," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
The driver chuckled, flicking his cigarette to the ground. "Trouble? Sweetheart, we're the last people you should be telling that to."
The men began to close in, their movements slow and deliberate, like predators circling their prey.
Lena's breath quickened as she glanced back at the highway. Cars continued to speed by, oblivious to her plight.
"Stay back!" she shouted, her voice trembling with fear.
The stocky man laughed, the sound harsh and mocking. "What are you gonna do? Run?"
The wiry man tilted his head, his grin widening. "Oh, let her. It'll make things more fun."
Lena's hands balled into fists as she fought to keep her composure. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but her legs felt frozen, her mind racing through her limited options.
Behind her, the highway stretched into darkness. Ahead, the men were closing in, their shadows growing longer under the harsh glow of the headlights.
The driver stepped forward, his smile razor-sharp. "Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll take real good care of you."
Lena took another step back, her heel skimming the edge of the pavement. Her heart pounded in her chest as she prepared to bolt.
But before she could move, the broad-shouldered man reached into his pocket, pulling out a gleaming blade.
The cold metal caught the light as he smirked, his voice a low growl. "Nowhere to run, girl. Might as well make it easy on yourself."