The day ended more slowly than it had begun. No matter how hard Elena tried to focus on her work, she could no longer think about anything except the pendant. She had kept it beneath her sweater all afternoon, as if simply not seeing it could keep the questions from coming back. At six thirty, Camille put on her coat and grabbed her bag.
“Are you heading straight home?”
Elena looked up from the register.
“Yes.”
“Want to grab something to eat?”
“Some other time.”
Camille hesitated.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Elena gave her a smile.
“Yes.”
This time, she was almost trying to convince herself. Camille nodded.
“Call me if you need anything.”
“I promise.”
The door closed behind her. The shop fell silent again. Elena stayed alone for a few minutes to finish closing up. She checked the register, turned off the lights one by one, and pulled down the metal security shutter. When she stepped out onto the street, daylight was already beginning to fade. The sky was overcast, and a grayish light enveloped the buildings. A fine rain had started falling without Elena noticing, and the illuminated shop windows reflected across the wet sidewalks. She turned up the collar of her coat and headed toward her apartment. She had gone barely fifty yards when she noticed him. A man stood on the other side of the street, motionless, tall, dressed in a long black coat. Elena slowed down, but the man did not move. She kept walking, then, after a few seconds, glanced behind her. He had crossed the street. Her heart tightened, and she quickened her pace. The man did the same. Elena turned around once more. He was still walking behind her, keeping his distance—not close enough for her to make out his face clearly, but close enough for her to know he was following her.
She forced herself to stay calm. Maybe he worked in the neighborhood. Maybe he was simply going in the same direction. She turned onto another street, and the man changed direction too. This time, she had no doubt. He was following her. Elena felt her breathing quicken. She took out her phone and pretended to check a message, her thumb trembling slightly. She thought about calling Camille, but changed her mind. She didn’t want to worry her. Then, at the end of the street, she spotted a café that was still open and went inside. The warmth and hum of conversation reassured her immediately.
“Good evening,” the server said.
“Good evening.”
She chose a table near the window, set her bag beside her, and ordered a coffee she had no intention of drinking. Her eyes remained fixed on the street. A few seconds passed, then a minute, then two, and the man appeared at the end of the sidewalk. Elena felt her stomach knot. He stopped in front of the café and looked straight at her through the window. Elena immediately lowered her eyes and waited. When she looked up again, the man was gone. She turned toward the café entrance. No one. She waited a few more minutes before leaving. The street was empty. She let out a sigh of relief.
“He’s gone.”
She continued on her way, walking faster this time without looking back. When she reached her building, she rummaged through her bag for her keys. Her fingers brushed against the pendant through her sweater, and another wave of cold passed through her body. She looked up. The man was there, on the other side of the street. Elena stood frozen. He made no movement, didn’t even seem to be breathing. Then a car passed between them. When her view cleared, he had disappeared. Elena looked around. Nothing. She quickly opened the building’s door and went inside, climbing the stairs almost at a run. Once she reached her apartment, she slipped the key into the lock and stopped. Something had been placed on the floor: a long, perfectly intact black feather.
Elena stared at it without touching it. She knew it hadn’t come from there. The hallway was enclosed, no windows were open, and there was no draft. She looked behind her. No one. She entered her apartment, locked the door, and remained there for a few seconds with her back pressed against it, her heart pounding violently. She set her bag in the entryway and took off her coat. Her gaze turned toward the pendant, and she pulled it out from beneath her sweater. The symbol looked perfectly normal, yet Elena now had the unpleasant impression that it was no longer just an ordinary object.
She went back to the entryway, opened the door, and saw that the feather was still there. Elena bent down to pick it up. The moment her fingers touched it, a searing pain shot through her hand. She immediately let go, and the feather fell to the floor. Elena stared at her palm. A thin red mark had appeared in the center of it. She heard something—a very faint sound, like a breath, right behind her. Elena spun around. The hallway was empty, but for a fraction of a second, she thought she saw a silhouette at the far end. She slammed the door shut. This time, she locked it twice, then slowly backed into her apartment, her breathing short and shallow.
She had always been afraid of her nightmares, but for the first time, a much more troubling thought crossed her mind.