Paula cornered

Paula Peril had chased too many dangerous stories to count, but tonight the story had turned and started chasing her. The alleyway was a narrow slit between crumbling brick buildings, littered with broken crates and the sour smell of garbage that had long since overstayed its welcome. Her heels clicked once, twice, as she pressed her back against the cold wall, her breath shallow and controlled. Somewhere beyond the mouth of the alley, footsteps echoed, slow, deliberate, and far too confident. The kind of confidence that came from men who knew they had already won. The two goons moved closer, their silhouettes stretching long under the flickering streetlight as they scanned the shadows, their low voices carrying just enough to chill her blood. Paula’s mind raced, flipping through options that all seemed to end the same way, her heart hammering so loudly she was certain it would give her away.