Sophia’s heart raced as she tried to muster the courage to stand her ground. But fear paralyzed her, and her mind screamed for an escape. Just then, the headlights of a car pierced through the darkness, startling the men. They scattered into the night like cockroaches exposed to light.
The vehicle came to a halt, and an elderly woman stepped out, her face etched with concern. “Child, what on earth are you doing out here alone?” she asked gently, her voice a soothing balm against Sophia’s raw nerves.
Sophia hesitated, unsure whether to trust this stranger. Yet, something in the woman’s kind eyes urged her to speak. “I have nowhere to go,” Sophia confessed, her voice barely a whisper.
