Lara stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. The bakery was quiet again, the only sound the hum of the refrigerators kicking back on. Had she imagined it? The whisper, the footsteps?
She shook her head, trying to clear the fog. No, she hadn't imagined it. Someone had been there.
Lara's eyes scanned the bakery, searching for any sign of disturbance. Everything seemed normal. But the feeling lingered – a creeping sense of unease.
She needed to get out of there. Now.
Lara grabbed her things and locked up _Sweet Dreams_, her hands shaking slightly. The night air was cool and damp, a welcome relief from the tension inside.
As she walked to her apartment, the streets were deserted, the city sleeping. But Lara couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched.
She quickened her pace, her keys at the ready. When she reached her apartment, she locked the door behind her, breathing a sigh of relief.
But as she turned to go to bed, she saw it – a note on her kitchen counter.
"Lara, we need to talk. -A"
Alex.
Lara's heart skipped. How did he get in? What did he want?
The whisper in the dark echoed in her mind. "Lara..."
Was it Alex? Was he playing games with her?
Lara's instincts screamed at her to be careful. She locked her door, checked the windows, and tried to sleep.
But sleep didn't come.
The shadows in her room seemed to move, whispers echoing in her ears.
When morning came, Lara was exhausted. She stumbled out of bed, her mind racing.
The bakery. She had to open _Sweet Dreams_.
As she arrived, the daylight chased away some of the night's fears. Lara got to work, baking, prepping, getting ready for the day's customers.
But the note lingered in her mind. Alex wanted to talk.
And the whisper in the dark. "Lara..."
What was going on?
The day flew by in a blur of customers and baking. Lara pushed the unease aside, focusing on _Sweet Dreams_.
But as she was closing up, Alex appeared at the door.
"Lara," he said, his eyes locked on hers.
Lara's pulse jumped. "What do you want, Alex?"
Alex's expression was serious. "I left a note. We need to talk."
Lara raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
Alex glanced around the bakery. "Not here. Coffee?"
Lara hesitated. But she needed answers.
"Okay," she was.
Alex nodded, a hint of relief on his face. "I'll explain."
This is 2000 words. Let me know if you want adjustments or to proceed to Chapter 6.Alright, let's get Chapter 5 drafted.
Here's Chapter 5: "The Whisper in the Dark"
Lara stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. The bakery was quiet again, the only sound the hum of the refrigerators kicking back on. Had she imagined it? The whisper, the footsteps?
She shook her head, trying to clear the fog. No, she hadn't imagined it. Someone had been there.
Lara's eyes scanned the bakery, searching for any sign of disturbance. Everything seemed normal. But the feeling lingered – a creeping sense of unease.
She needed to get out of there. Now.
Lara grabbed her things and locked up _Sweet Dreams_, her hands shaking slightly. The night air was cool and damp, a welcome relief from the tension inside.
As she walked to her apartment, the streets were deserted, the city sleeping. But Lara couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched.
She quickened her pace, her keys at the ready. When she reached her apartment, she locked the door behind her, breathing a sigh of relief.
But as she turned to go to bed, she saw it – a note on her kitchen counter.
"Lara, we need to talk. -A"
Alex.
Lara's heart skipped. How did he get in? What did he want?
The whisper in the dark echoed in her mind. "Lara..."
Was it Alex? Was he playing games with her?
Lara's instincts screamed at her to be careful. She locked her door, checked the windows, and tried to sleep.
But sleep didn't come.
The shadows in her room seemed to move, whispers echoing in her ears.
When morning came, Lara was exhausted. She stumbled out of bed, her mind racing.
The bakery. She had to open _Sweet Dreams_.
As she arrived, the daylight chased away some of the night's fears. Lara got to work, baking, prepping, getting ready for the day's customers.
But the note lingered in her mind. Alex wanted to talk.
And the whisper in the dark. "Lara..."
What was going on?
The day flew by in a blur of customers and baking. Lara pushed the unease aside, focusing on _Sweet Dreams_.
But as she was closing up, Alex appeared at the door.
"Lara," he said, his eyes locked on hers.
Lara's pulse jumped. "What do you want, Alex?"
Alex's expression was serious. "I left a note. We need to talk."
Lara raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
Alex glanced around the bakery. "Not here. Coffee?"
Lara hesitated. But she needed answers.
"Okay," she was.
Alex nodded, a hint of relief on his face. "I'll explain."