The university campus was a ghost town at this hour, bathed in the pale glow of flickering streetlights. The air bit at Nadia’s skin as she stormed out of the library, her boots crunching against the frostbitten grass. At 21, the biochemistry major was a force of nature—sharp-tongued, unapologetic, and currently pissed off beyond belief. Her study group had devolved into a shouting match over something as trivial as reaction mechanisms, and she’d had enough of their whining. “If I wanted to babysit idiots, I’d have majored in daycare,” she’d snapped before slamming the door behind her.
Now, as she cut across the edge of campus toward her dorm, the chilly November wind tugged at her leather jacket. The quiet was almost unnerving, broken only by the distant hoot of an owl from the wooded area just beyond the dorms. Nadia didn’t scare easily, though. She thrived on control, on knowing she could handle anything thrown her way. Still, she couldn’t shake the itch at the back of her neck—like someone was watching. She chalked it up to exhaustion and pressed on, her breath puffing out in angry little clouds.
“Stupid group. Stupid semester. Stupid everything,” she muttered, kicking a stray pebble into the darkness. Her dorm was still a ten-minute walk, but there was a shortcut through a narrow path skirting the woods. It was poorly lit and probably not the smartest choice at midnight, but Nadia wasn’t in the mood for caution. She was in the mood for a hot shower and maybe punching her pillow a few times.
Unbeknownst to her, two pairs of eyes tracked her every move from the shadows of the trees. The figures were crouched low, clad in ill-fitting ski masks and mismatched hoodies, looking more like discount Halloween rejects than professional kidnappers. One of them, a lanky man with a nasally voice, whispered, “Dude, are you sure this is the right chick? She looks like she’d shank us just for looking at her.”
The other, shorter and stockier, fumbled with a tranquilizer gun that looked like it had been borrowed from a bad spy movie. “Shut up, Carl. The boss said biochemistry major, black hair, bad attitude. That’s her. Nadia somethin’. Now stop whining and help me aim this thing.”
Carl scratched at his mask, which was clearly too tight. “I’m just sayin’, man, she’s got a vibe. Like, ‘I’ll sue your ass and then spit on your grave’ vibe. Maybe we shoulda brought backup.”
“Backup?” the stocky one hissed, nearly dropping the dart gun. “We’re the backup, you idiot. Now shut it and move. She’s almost at the path.”
Nadia, oblivious to the bumbling duo, turned onto the shortcut. The trees loomed overhead, their branches casting jagged shadows across the gravel. She quickened her pace, her instincts prickling again, but she dismissed it with a scoff. “Get a grip, Nadia. It’s just the wind. Or finals stress. Or both.”
She didn’t see the figures slip out from the trees behind her, didn’t hear their clumsy footsteps until it was too late. A sudden rustle made her whip around, her dark eyes narrowing. “Who’s there? I swear, if this is some frat prank, I’ll have your balls on a dissection tray by morning.”
The stocky goon froze mid-step, the dart gun trembling in his hands. Carl, panicking, blurted out, “Uh, h-hey, lady, no need for violence! We’re just, uh, lost! Yeah, lost!”
Nadia’s lips curled into a sneer as she crossed her arms, stepping forward with the confidence of someone who’d never backed down from a fight. “Lost, huh? In ski masks? At midnight? Try harder, dipshit. I’ve got pepper spray and a mean right hook, so unless you want both, I suggest you turn around and crawl back to whatever hole you came from.”
Carl gulped audibly, taking a step back. “Told you, man. She’s terrifying. Let’s just go. I don’t get paid enough for this.”
“Shut up!” the stocky one snapped, finally regaining his nerve. He raised the dart gun with a shaky grip. “Listen, sweetheart, we don’t wanna hurt you. Just come with us nice and easy, and—”
“Sweetheart?” Nadia interrupted, her voice dripping with venom as she took another menacing step forward. “Call me that again, and I’ll shove that toy gun so far up your ass you’ll be spitting darts for a week. Who the hell do you think you are?”
The stocky goon blinked, momentarily thrown off by her ferocity. “Uh, I—I’m just doin’ my job, lady! Don’t make this harder than it has to be!”
“Oh, I’ll make it real hard,” Nadia shot back, her hands balling into fists. “Come on, then. Let’s see if you’ve got the guts to back up that cheap-ass costume.”
Before either man could react, she lunged, aiming a swift kick at the stocky one’s knee. He yelped, stumbling, and the dart gun clattered to the ground. Carl, flailing, tried to grab her arm, but Nadia twisted free, elbowing him hard in the ribs. “Nice try, loser,” she growled, her adrenaline pumping. “Didn’t your mom teach you not to mess with women who can kick your ass?”
“Ow, ow, ow!” Carl wheezed, clutching his side. “She’s crazy, man! I’m out!”
But the stocky one, now red-faced with embarrassment, scrambled for the dart gun. “Not so fast, you little hellcat!” he grunted, finally managing to load a dart as Nadia turned to bolt down the path. With a clumsy pull of the trigger, the dart whizzed through the air and struck her in the back of the shoulder.
Nadia stumbled, a sharp sting blooming where the dart hit. “What the—?” She whipped around, her vision already starting to blur, but her glare could’ve melted steel. “A tranquilizer? Are you kidding me? You couldn’t even fight fair, you pathetic little—”
Her words slurred as her knees buckled. She fought to stay upright, clawing at the air as if sheer willpower could keep her conscious. “I’m gonna… find you… and make you regret… every life choice…” she slurred, collapsing onto the cold gravel.
The stocky goon exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. “Holy crap, that was intense. I think she almost killed us.”
Carl, still rubbing his ribs, muttered, “I told you, man. She’s a demon. Let’s just get her in the van before she wakes up and starts round two.”
Together, they hoisted Nadia’s limp form, dragging her unceremoniously toward a beat-up van parked just beyond the trees. Her head lolled to the side, her last coherent thought cutting through the haze like a knife: *These idiots are the worst kidnappers in history. If I survive this, I’m going to make them wish they’d never been born.*
As the van doors slammed shut and the engine sputtered to life, the night swallowed them whole, leaving only the echo of Nadia’s fiery spirit lingering on the empty path.
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