A shadow moved in the corner of my eye. A figure emerged from the back of the diner, walking towards me. I tensed, my hand gripping the wheel.
The figure paused, then raised a hand in a gesture of peace. It was a woman. She approached, and as she drew near, recognition dawned.
It was an old friend, someone I hadn’t seen in decades. Her name was Anna, and she had once been a close confidant before life took us on different paths. “Lucia,” she said softly, her eyes filled with urgency.
“You’re in danger. And it’s not safe to go back. They’re not who you think they are.”
I stared at her, the weight of her words hanging between us.
Part of me wanted to demand answers, to unravel the mystery. But another part of me, stronger and wiser, knew instinctively that the truth would come in time. For now, I had to trust Anna.
And as I followed her into the dim warmth of the diner, I realized this was only the beginning of a much larger story.
