At six thirty on a wet Tuesday morning, Tom Harris stood on an empty city tram platform, watching the departure board flicker. The trams were late, again. A security guard paced nearby, boots scraping, eyes fixed on his phone.

Tom felt a vibration in his pocket. A text message appeared from an unknown number. It said, “Step back from the yellow line. Do not look around.” His stomach tightened.

He obeyed without thinking. Another message arrived. “Good. You are being watched. Follow the instructions and no one gets hurt.” Tom glanced at the guard, then at the dark tunnel beyond the tracks.

The next text told him to place his work bag on a bench and walk away. As he did, a tram roared in. Commuters spilled out, noisy and impatient. The guard stopped pacing and looked up.

Tom realised the messages were not about him. They were about the bag. He typed back, “What is in it?” The reply came instantly. “Nothing. Unless you touch it.”

Police sirens grew louder outside the station. The guard spoke into his radio and pointed at the bench. Tom stayed still, heart hammering. The tram doors closed and the platform emptied again.

A final message arrived. “Well done. You followed the rules.” Seconds later, officers secured the bag and opened it carefully. Inside was a cheap phone taped to a kitchen timer.

The guard exhaled and smiled at Tom. The texts stopped. By the time the trams resumed, the unknown number was dead. Tom went to work late, but alive, knowing how close fear can stand without being seen.

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Vocabulary Notes

flicker
Meaning: to shine or change quickly and unsteadily, often with light or images.
Example: “The departure board flicker.”
Explanation: Electronic screens sometimes flicker when there is a fault or unstable power. This creates a feeling of uncertainty and tension in the scene.
Similar words: flash, blink, shimmer, waver

obeyed
Meaning: did what someone ordered or instructed you to do.
Example: “He obeyed without thinking.”
Explanation: To obey means to follow rules or commands, often because you feel you must, or because you are afraid of the consequences.
Similar words: follow, comply, carry out, submit

paced
Meaning: walked back and forth repeatedly, often because of nervousness or waiting.
Example: “A security guard paced nearby.”
Explanation: Pacing shows restlessness or tension. People often pace when they are worried or alert.
Similar words: walked back and forth, strode, wandered, moved restlessly

secured
Meaning: made safe or protected from danger.
Example: “Officers secured the bag.”
Explanation: To secure something means to control it so it cannot cause harm or be interfered with.
Similar words: protect, fasten, lock down, safeguard

hammering
Meaning: beating very hard and fast.
Example: “Tom stayed still, heart hammering.”
Explanation: This is often used to describe a strong heartbeat caused by fear, stress, or excitement.
Similar words: pounding, racing, thudding, pounding hard

Story written by ChatGPT 5.2.

Image created by ChatGPT 5.2.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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