Bidane walked out of sight, avoiding the people passing by on the streets. Slinking from corner to corner, she rushed away from the crowds and went against the flow of people.

She groaned in annoyance, dashing past slow-walking commuters. Knowing that she would have to dodge more people, she surrendered her direction. Then something caught her attention. She eyed the old alleys, narrow and nonlinear. She felt drawn to them, mysterious yet inviting, a place unexplored.

Usually, the more one dived into the old alleyways, the fewer crowds would be seen. Pavement would turn stony, uneven. The buildings would go back to past centuries. And the sun would hide behind the looming and dusty rooftops. Not even cats roamed in these parts.

But to get away from all the familiar faces and possible witnesses, it was the perfect place to go.

She slowed her pace this time, alone, taking in the quiet of the cramped streets, brushing the cold stone walls with her hands as she passed through. Curious as to where these led, she continued forwards aimlessly, allowing herself to get lost in this unknown maze.

After meandering through, she came to the end. The path ended at a wall, different from the rest. It was immaculately clean, as if it had been just built, decorated by large iron ornaments, and it contained an iron gate to the forest on the other side.

She wondered if she was on the side of town already. She glared at the metallic fence that blocked the last alley. It looked rusted, but sturdy. If she wanted to be away from it all, this was her last barrier.

She pulled at the gate. It wasn’t locked, but it didn’t budge either. Something was holding it in place.

Tugging furiously, a creak echoed through the silence. She froze a moment; her surroundings suddenly silent. The birds should be singing in the forest, the wind should be easily heard. Furthermore, the people from the town weren’t that far either. But the only thing she could hear were her footsteps and her breathing, and the gate. It was an expecting silence.

It gave in. The door opened loudly, and she cringed at the noise and the possibility of it being investigated.

Her hand stung. Somehow, the iron gate made a big cut on her hand, which bled onto the iron and the ground. She dreaded the possibility that she could be infected with tetanus, but reassured herself that as long as she cleaned her hand with her water bottle and bandaged it with her handkerchief, it was fine. Her skin pulsated from the wound, but it didn’t feel too bad, and it wasn’t as distracting as her surroundings.

It was cold. In the middle of the summer, in a hot region, having been warm just a minute ago. Granted, forests were humid and dark, but this cold shocked her and only made her even more curious.

There was an undefined but walkable path through the trees. It led to some tree stumps, cut strategically forming a circle, almost like seats for a conference, but no table.
Sitting on one, she lit her cigarette and took a long puff. At last, she could relax.
She felt at peace, like she belonged in this strange special place.

She decided to leave when she felt it was time to leave, around the time when classes should have already ended and the cold sun was past its highest point.

The gate was left open for her to come back, an easier way to reach her new leisure spot.
It swung slowly yet repeatedly in the windless alley, blood dripping on its previously unbroken lock.