DSLR

Alice ran around the building. She was like a bounding labrador. With a big smile on her face.

“Neera is coming back!” She announced. There was nobody but Nadia and a few customers in the lobby.

Nadia knew that Neera was the other co-worker at the Pony who took some leave. Neera was Alice’s highschool friend. Besties.

“We need to have a welcome party! She comes back in two days!” Alice smiled at Nadia.

It had been just Alice and Nadia for the longest time. Neera was doing a pilgrimage in India — meeting family. Possibly an arranged marriage on the cards.

“Neera is absolutely the best. She is so freaking down to earth and an absolute badass…” Alice said.

Nadia wondered if her part time shtick would be over now that Neera was coming back. The Pony and Alice had been good to her. Cooking and cleaning as a dutiful wife was all she knew. It wasn’t much different working at the hotel. Washing linen. Tidying rooms. And room service. It was a structure and Nadia needed it.

Nadia was meeting Leon tonight. They were going bowling. There was so much to do in the city. She stepped outside to take out the trash. The afternoon was sun was just disappearing behind a building.

*FLASH*

Nadia looked over and saw a man in a trench coat. He snapped a photo. He scrambled as she noticed. He accidentally dropped his camera, but left it behind as he turned the corner.

A stalker… Nadia wondered if it was the black hoodie again. But Alice had told her not to worry about him. Why couldn’t people leave her alone?!

Nadia crossed the street and picked up the camera. It was a DSLR. Brand new. But the lens was broken. The man had dropped it. She tried to access the photos but they were password protected.