Wrong Streets, No Exit

Jess hugged herself tightly, as if her arms could protect her from more than just the cold. The chill had sunk beneath her skin, into her bones, into her thoughts. She paced in place, her breath fogging up in front of her as she waited. The streetlights above her flickered sporadically, casting erratic shadows across the cracked pavement. The hum of traffic had faded to a memory. Now there was only silence—broken by the occasional echo of footsteps that didn’t belong to her.

Leanna was on her way. She promised she was coming. Jess clung to the promise like it was real, like it could keep her tethered. But even her name—Jess—felt foreign in her mouth right now. She could feel herself growing anxious with each passing minute, knowing she was in a place she shouldn’t be—lost, alone, and exposed.

Her phone buzzed again, Leanna’s name lighting up the screen. Jess answered immediately, her voice tight.

"Leanna, please hurry. I don’t know where I am… and it’s starting to feel worse. I’m scared."

"I’m coming. Don’t talk to anyone, just keep your eyes open. I’m five minutes away. Less if I speed." Leanna’s voice was calming, but Jess could hear the tension in it, the urgency.

Jess looked around and saw a man coming toward her, his eyes lingering on her, and for the first time since everything had changed, she felt that familiar, uncomfortable rush of unwanted attention. She shifted away instinctively, but the man was quick.

"Hey, baby," he slurred, his breath stale with alcohol. "You out here workin’, or just lost and lookin’ pretty?" he asked, too close now, like her discomfort didn’t register—or maybe that was the point.

Jess froze, her heart racing in her chest. Part of her wanted to shout, to shove him, to run—but her body wouldn’t move. Her mind was loud but her limbs were locked. She didn’t know how to respond. The last thing she needed was to get mixed up in something dangerous. She had no idea where she was or how to get out of this situation.

"No," Jess said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I’m not— I’m not working."

The man laughed, but there was something dark in his eyes. He took another step closer, and Jess instinctively took one back. "What about a drink, huh? Come on, sweet thing. I got somethin’ special for ya."

"Please," Jess whispered, shaking her head, desperate to get away, "I really don’t have time for this."

Before she could turn around, another man appeared, this one wearing a worn leather jacket and sunglasses even though it was night. He grinned at her like he knew something she didn’t.

"You got anything to sell, sweetheart? I got a few clients looking for a good time. You look like you could make some quick cash."

Jess’s stomach dropped. She felt sick. The thought of being trapped here with no way out made her feel dizzy. "I’m not selling anything," she stammered, backing away. "I just need to go home. Please just leave me alone."

"Yeah, right," the man sneered. "You’re just lost. It’s all the same around here. You got anything else going on?"

Jess shook her head again, trying not to show how terrified she felt. She turned quickly, her eyes scanning the darkened street for any sign of Leanna.

But the streets were empty—too empty. The quiet felt heavy, pressing in on her. Was it always this quiet here? Or had they seen her—really seen her—and decided she didn’t belong? The few buildings around her looked abandoned, windows covered up with sheets or cardboard, as though no one wanted to be seen in this part of town.

"Leanna," Jess muttered to herself, her voice small. "Where are you?"

A voice behind her cut through the silence, and Jess spun around to find yet another man, his posture rough and his eyes dark. He eyed her like a predator eyeing its prey, and Jess could feel her skin crawl. She was exposed in a way she had never been before, and she hated the feeling.

"I told you to stay away," Jess hissed, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don’t want anything to do with you."

But he didn’t listen. He took a step forward, and Jess stumbled back in fear. "Hey," he said, "I ain’t gonna hurt you, but you gotta make a choice. You’re in the wrong place, baby."

Jess didn’t know what to do. She wanted to scream for help, but the words stuck in her throat. She felt like she was being suffocated by the weight of it all—the confusion, the helplessness, the overwhelming feeling that everything had slipped so far out of her control.

Her phone buzzed again, but this time, Jess ignored it. She couldn’t focus on anything except the men closing in, the cold, the fear that had taken hold of her.

"I just want to go home," Jess whispered to herself, her voice barely a breath. "I just want things to be the way they were. I just want to go home."

She wanted to feel safe again, wanted to feel like herself again. She wanted to forget about the changes, the confusion, the fear of being someone she didn’t recognize in a world that had shifted around her. But she couldn’t. She was trapped in a life she didn’t choose, with no way out.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her hand once more, and this time, Jess saw the name—Leanna. She answered immediately, the relief in her voice palpable.

"I’m here," Leanna’s voice broke through the panic. "Where are you?"

Jess’s voice broke as the tears finally spilled over. “I—I don’t know where I am—there’s a boarded-up gas station, and some broken sign—Leanna, please. Please just find me. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.”

"I’m almost there," Leanna reassured her. "Just hang on, Jess. Stay put, I’m coming to get you."

Jess stood in the darkness, clutching her phone like a lifeline, doing her best to ignore the men around her. The world hadn’t just changed—it had tilted, and Jess had been dropped into a version of herself she didn’t understand. Everything was louder, closer, more dangerous. And she was smaller now, somehow. All she could do was wait, praying that Leanna would find her before things got worse.