Learning To Trust Again

This is a new novel length story.

It was ten past eleven in the evening when Rebecca began her trip home. Walking down the darkened street she was tired but content with what she’d achieved. She’d had a good day. The emergency department where she worked had been steady, but fairly quiet for a Saturday night. There had been no huge influxes of patients, as there often was. This made it a simple business for them to be either moved on to other areas of the hospital or discharged, without anyone having to wait too long. It also meant she had been able to leave on time for a change. Now the ten minute walk home in the cool night air was just what she needed after being cooped up all day in the overheated environment of the hospital. It would ensure she was well and truly ready for bed when she got there. She had been a nurse for six years and working in emergency for the last four but no matter how tired she was, it took time for her mind to switch from work mode, where she had to be focused and ready for any eventuality, to being able to relax enough to allow her to sleep. So the short walk gave her time to think and process what had happened during her shift.

Passing a pub a couple of blocks from home Rebecca increased her pace a little. This area was the only part of the walk home she didn’t like, especially at night. In the main she felt safe and comfortable on the street in the area she lived, no matter what time of the day or night. But here often there was at least one street light that was broken, making it darker than the rest of the street and the rowdy voices coming from the bar always unnerved her a little. Doing her best not to give into the childish desire to run as the cacophony of voices leaching from busy pub had its usual effect of her nerves, she was just beginning to relax when the door leading from the bar suddenly opened. She had only just stepped past it and the increase in the volume from the open door startled her and brought her to a stop as she spun around. Four young men, about her age or possibly a little younger, in their early twenties anyway, had spilled out onto the street. She gasped as they moved towards her while the door to the bar swung shut, reducing the din to its former level. Her heart began to hammer against her ribs as they surrounded her, looking at her with avid interest. ‘Well what do we have here?’ one of them asked ‘seems we won’t have to go looking after all, hey guys?’