As Nuan Nuan slept, the warehouse's silence was broken by faint footsteps. They echoed through the empty space, growing louder.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows.
Nuan Nuan's eyes snapped open, her heart racing.
The figure approached, its features illuminated by a faint moonbeam.
A young woman, gaunt and worn, with a haunting gaze.
"Who are you?" Nuan Nuan whispered.
The woman didn't respond. Instead, she dropped a bag beside Nuan Nuan.
"Food, water, and a blanket," the woman said, her voice barely audible. "You'll need them."
Nuan Nuan's confusion deepened.
"Why are you helping me?"
The woman's gaze drifted to Nuan Nuan's belly.
"You're not alone, are you?"
Nuan Nuan's hand instinctively cradled her stomach.
"No," she replied, a sense of solidarity forming.
The woman nodded.
"I'll be back. We'll get through this together."
With that, she vanished into the darkness.
Nuan Nuan's mind reeled.
Who was this mysterious woman?
And what did she mean by "we"?
.....
Nuan Nuan's trust grew overnight, but doubts crept in with dawn.
The woman returned, her gaze cold and calculating.
"Follow me," she ordered, her voice devoid of warmth.
Nuan Nuan hesitated, sensing danger.
The woman's grasp tightened on her arm.
"Come quietly, or suffer the consequences," she hissed.
Nuan Nuan struggled, but the woman's grip was unyielding.
They navigated dark alleys, arriving at a seedy bar.
The woman shoved Nuan Nuan inside.
A sleazy trader eyed her, his gaze lingering on her belly.
"How much?" he asked, voice dripping with malice.
The woman named a price, her eyes devoid of empathy.
Nuan Nuan's horror turned to adrenaline.
With a surge of strength, she broke free.
She sprinted out, the trader's curses echoing behind.
Nuan Nuan ran, lost in unfamiliar streets.
Breathless, she stumbled upon a small park.
Collapsing onto a bench, she vowed:
"I'll never let anyone control me or my child."
She quickly asked for directions leading to the homeless centre from people around.
Nuan Nuan quickly packed her belongings, anxiety coursing through her veins.
As she left the shelter, the city's neon lights blurred together. She hailed a taxi, giving the driver a random address.
"Anywhere but here," she thought.
The taxi dropped her off at an industrial area. Deserted streets stretched out before her.
Nuan Nuan wandered, her feet leading her to an abandoned warehouse. The crumbling structure loomed, its broken windows like empty eyes.
She pushed open the creaky door, stepping into darkness.
The silence enveloped her like a shroud.
Nuan Nuan touched her belly, a reassuring gesture.
"Baby, Mummy's gonna take care of myself and you," she whispered.
As her eyes adjusted, she saw the warehouse's neglected beauty. Dust-covered crates, rusty machinery, and faded graffiti.
"At least it's safe here... and peaceful," she thought.
Nuan Nuan settled among the crates, her makeshift bed for the night.
As she drifted off to sleep, the warehouse's stillness cradled her.
But the darkness held secrets.