3

I didn’t wanna be home. The quiet there wasn’t peaceful—it felt like it was pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe. I needed to get out. The only place left was the park, even though I knew it was stupid. People talk about the park like it’s normal, but everyone knows what happens there. Fights, stabbings—sometimes people just go missing. But sitting alone in that house felt worse. My friend wasn’t answering, and my phone was dead. No one to call, no way to check the time.

I sat on the bench, watching the sky get darker. The park felt too open, but at the same time, I felt trapped. When the rain started, it was cold right away, soaking through my sweater. I thought about leaving, but the gazebo was closer. I wasn’t ready to walk back through the streets alone yet. The gazebo’s usually got people in it, but I thought maybe I’d get a few minutes to myself. Just long enough to figure out what to do next. The rain got heavier, so I made a run for it, shivering the second I sat down.

I wasn’t alone for long. A group of high school kids rolled in, loud and pushing each other around. They weren’t the scary kind, but I still kept my head down. I didn’t wanna give them a reason to notice me. One of them did anyway. “Why you out here alone?” he asked, looking at me like I wasn’t supposed to be there. I shrugged, hoping he’d let it go. They hung around for a while, laughing and yelling until they got bored and walked off.

That’s when it got worse. I wasn’t alone, but it felt like I was being watched. Footsteps crunched somewhere behind the gazebo, slow but too close. Then someone coughed. I froze, heart pounding so hard I thought they could hear it. I stared at the rain, pretending I didn’t notice, but I knew I needed to leave. Still, I couldn’t make myself go home. The park felt dangerous, but home felt worse.