I started walking slowly. My bag dragged down my shoulders, and the echo of each step was louder than it should have been in the silence. The pale yellow light of the streetlights, instead of illuminating the path, made the shadows even more distinct. The closed windows of the old, similar-looking houses seemed to be watching me with blind eyes. I felt someone’s gaze on my back. When I quickly turned around, I saw nothing but vast emptiness. This uncertainty further frayed my nerves. A harsh, cold wind struck my face like a hand.
Just then, I was startled by a sudden sound behind me. My heart pounded as if it would burst, but when I turned around, I saw it was just a cat. I chuckled softly at my own fear. At that moment, I understood that the truly frightening thing wasn’t the street, but the scenarios my own mind had created. I quickened my pace, but that unsettling feeling followed me like a shadow until I reached my door.