Dropping my suitcase, I swung the door open.
"Jessica, looking pretty chipper tonight!"
It was a tall girl standing there.
"Mandy!"
My heart leaped—my best friend had come.
I yanked her inside and poured out everything that had happened tonight.
She clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide with feigned shock, then burst into laughter, shaking uncontrollably.
Finally, she pointed at me, laughing, "Jess, are you out of your mind?!"
My puzzled look prompted her to explain, "Wondering why I'm here?"
"Your husband sent me! He felt bad about not popping the question in style and wanted to set up a memorable proposal tonight. You wouldn't budge, so he sent me to fetch you."
That explained it. But the old woman—what was her deal?
Mandy rolled her eyes, "You're a grad student, for crying out loud. Everyone knows not to chat up strangers."
"She knew our names," I offered weakly.
Mandy scoffed, "Info leaks are a dime a dozen these days! Had you gone with her, who knows? You might've ended up in a real fix. You hear about it all the time—innocent people led astray, ending up who knows where. They'd have you married off in the sticks!" She laughed heartily.
That did make sense.
I laughed awkwardly, ashamed of my earlier panic, swiftly steering the conversation elsewhere, "Let's head over then."
"It's chilly out! I'll grab one of your coats," she said, heading to the bedroom.
I tidied my hair a bit.
The curtains blew in from the cold breeze.
A shadow was fixed outside the window.
It was the old woman again!
She was pressing a white paper against the glass, pounding it urgently, her eyes brimming with tears. She seemed desperate.
Driven by a sudden burst of curiosity, I moved closer to make out the words on the paper.
[Run! Or you'll die!]
"That green coat's new, huh? Looks sharp on you."
Mandy strutted out in a green coat, her smile a tad strained, her eyes catching an eerie glint in the dim light.
I was still reeling from the shock.
Just like that, the old lady had vanished again.
I flung open the window, the icy breeze snapping me back to reality.
We were on the second floor—how could she just vanish into thin air?
Mandy was admiring her reflection in the mirror, clearly digging into her look.
But she always said green washed her out, swore she'd never wear it, and even advised me against it.
"Let's roll!" she called, snagging her purse from the sofa and signaling me to come along.