Mysterious Observer

The aroma of coffee hung in the air at the small terrace restaurant. You sat across from your best friend, Haania, the silence stretching between you after yet another argument about your future.

She had left, annoyed by your stubborn refusal to consider Isaac for marriage. As you sat alone, the nagging feeling returned – that unsettling sense of being watched. It was becoming a constant companion since your father’s death, a chilling undercurrent beneath the surface of your grief and the pressures of your family.

Leaving the restaurant, the walk home felt longer, the shadows deeper. You couldn’t shake the feeling of footsteps behind you, the sound amplified by the deserted street. A sudden fall near your house left you shaken, but not as much as the sight of a black car parked discreetly down the street, two figures inside seemingly watching your home. Panic flared, quickly followed by a chilling confirmation from your younger sister, Ayath: you weren't imagining it. Someone was indeed watching your house, and unsettlingly, your brother, Ali, already knew.