Anna walked quickly through the busy shopping centre in Manchester. It was Saturday afternoon and people were everywhere, carrying bags and talking loudly. She needed new shoes for work, so she went into a big shoe shop on the second floor.

She tried on some black heels. They looked good. She turned to look in the tall mirror near the chairs. That was when she saw him.

A man stood behind her in the reflection. He was tall, wearing a dark coat and a grey cap. His face was not clear because of the cap, but he was looking straight at her. Anna turned around quickly. No one was there. Just other customers and the shop assistant.

She felt cold. “It’s nothing,” she told herself. “Just my imagination.”

She bought the shoes and left the shop. But as she walked down the escalator, she looked back. The same man was there again, two floors above, watching her. This time she was sure. He was following her.

Anna’s heart started beating fast. She took out her phone and called her friend Lisa.

“Lisa, I think someone is following me,” she said quietly.

“Where are you?” Lisa asked.

“The Arndale Centre. Near the food court.”

“Stay in a busy place. I’m coming now. Ten minutes.”

Anna went to the food court. It was full of people eating burgers and drinking coffee. She sat at a table near the window and watched the doors.

Five minutes later, she saw him again. He was standing near a coffee shop, looking at his phone. But every few seconds, he looked up at her.
Anna felt sick. She stood up and walked quickly towards the lifts. Maybe she could lose him there.

The lift doors opened. She stepped inside and pressed the button for the ground floor. Just before the doors closed, the man ran forward and put his hand between the doors. They opened again.

He stepped in. The doors closed. Now they were alone.

Anna pressed herself against the wall. “What do you want?” she asked, her voice shaking.

The man took off his cap. Anna stared. It was her ex-boyfriend, Mark. They had broken up six months ago after a big fight. He had been angry, very angry. She had changed her phone number and moved flat because she was afraid of him.

“You thought you could just disappear?” Mark said. His voice was low and cold. “I found you, Anna. I always find you.”

The lift stopped at the ground floor. The doors opened. Anna tried to run, but Mark grabbed her arm.

“Let me go!” she shouted.

People turned to look. A security guard near the entrance saw them. He started walking towards the lift.

Mark looked at the guard, then at Anna. For a second, he seemed unsure. Then he pushed her hard against the lift wall and ran out into the crowd.

Anna fell to the floor. The security guard helped her up. “Are you okay, miss? Do you want me to call the police?”

“Yes,” Anna said. “Please. His name is Mark Thompson. He has done this before.”

Two police officers arrived quickly. Anna told them everything. They took her statement and said they would look for Mark. They also gave her a number for a support service for people in danger from ex-partners.

That evening, Lisa stayed with Anna at her flat. They locked all the doors and windows. Anna could not stop shaking.

The next day, the police called. They had found Mark. He had been staying at a cheap hotel near the station. They arrested him for breaking a restraining order and for harassment. The court would decide what happened next, but he would not be free for some time.

Anna sat on her sofa with a cup of tea. She looked at herself in the small mirror on the wall. No shadow this time. Just her own face, tired but strong.

She was safe now. And she knew she would never let anyone control her life again.

---

Vocabulary Notes

Reflection
Definition: Reflection refers to an image or likeness produced by a mirror or other reflective surface, often used literally to describe what is seen in a mirror or figuratively to mean careful thought or consideration. In the context of the story, it is used literally to describe the visual image in a mirror, heightening the sense of mystery and fear.
Example: “A man stood behind her in the reflection. He was tall, wearing a dark coat and a grey cap.”
Similar words: Image (a visual representation), echo (a repeated sound or idea, similar in the sense of duplication), mirage (an optical illusion, akin to a deceptive reflection).

Imagination
Definition: Imagination is the ability of the mind to form images, ideas, or sensations not present to the senses, often involving creativity or fantasy. In the story, it is used to denote a possible hallucination or self-doubt, where the protagonist dismisses a real threat as a product of her mind.
Example: “‘It’s nothing,’ she told herself. ‘Just my imagination.’”
Similar words: Fantasy (an imagined scenario, often unrealistic), hallucination (a sensory experience without external stimulus, similar to false imagination), delusion (a false belief, akin to misguided imagination).

Escalator
Definition: An escalator is a moving staircase consisting of a belt of steps driven by a motor, typically found in public places like shopping centres for transporting people between floors. The word evokes a sense of movement and transition, and in the story, it serves as a setting for escalating tension.
Example: “But as she walked down the escalator, she looked back. The same man was there again, two floors above, watching her.”
Similar words: Elevator (a platform or compartment for vertical transport, alternative to escalator), conveyor (a mechanical belt for moving items, similar in function), staircase (a fixed set of steps, a non-mechanical counterpart).

Harassment
Definition: Harassment is persistent unwanted behaviour that annoys, threatens, or intimidates someone, often involving repeated actions that cause distress. Legally, it can lead to charges, as depicted in the story where it forms the basis for arrest.
Example: “They arrested him for breaking a restraining order and for harassment.”
Similar words: Stalking (following or monitoring someone obsessively, a specific form of harassment), intimidation (causing fear to coerce behaviour, similar in effect), bullying (repeated aggressive behaviour, akin to harassment in social contexts).

Restraining Order
Definition: A restraining order is a legal directive issued by a court to prohibit an individual from contacting, approaching, or harming another person, often used in cases of domestic violence or stalking to ensure safety. In the story, it represents a prior legal measure that the antagonist violates.
Example: “They arrested him for breaking a restraining order and for harassment.”
Similar words: Injunction (a court order requiring or prohibiting an action, broader term including restraining orders), protective order (a legal safeguard against threats, synonymous in many contexts), no-contact order (a directive barring communication, similar in purpose).

Story written by Grok 4.

Image created by Grok 4.

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CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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