Untouched (Untouched #1)(Old Work)

The city wept. Rain lashed down, turning the bitumen of the service alleyway into a slick, dark ribbon. Sixteen-year-old Ellen’s feet pounded against it, a frantic rhythm against the roar of distant thunder. Her hair, clothes—everything—was plastered to her, heavy with water. Panic, cold and sharp, clawed at her throat. A searing pain shot through her hip, and the world tilted. She hit the ground, tiny stones digging into her skin, and a gasp tore from her lips. Her freshly grazed knee stung with a vengeance.

This was it. Her stalker, whoever he was, would find her now. It was over. She closed her eyes, turning her face to the sliver of charcoal sky framed by the oppressive buildings, feeling each cold drop. She exhaled a shaky breath. The pain was too much. She was defeated.

But then, a strange silence. No footsteps. Only the distant murmur of city traffic and the relentless rain. A sliver of hope, unexpected and potent, surged through her. She pushed herself up, every movement a protest, and began to limp away, back the way she’d come. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder, and she wondered what new tragedy the storm had brought.