The woman with red hair sat alone at a small table in the corner of the coffee shop. She was lost in thought, her eyes gazing off into the distance. Her hair was a vibrant shade of red, long and curly, and it was the first thing I noticed about her when I walked in.
I ordered my coffee and sat down at a table near hers, stealing quick glances at her every now and then. She seemed deep in thought, completely unaware of her surroundings.
As I sipped my coffee, I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about. Was she lost in a daydream or was she worried about something? I decided to find out.
I walked over to her table and introduced myself. She looked up, startled, and then smiled when she saw me. Her name was Lily, and she was a writer. We struck up a conversation, and before I knew it, hours had passed.
Lily was fascinating, with a sharp wit and a dry sense of humor. We talked about everything from books to politics to our favorite bands. I felt like we had known each other for years.
As the night wore on, the coffee shop began to empty out. The only people left were Lily and I, and the barista who was cleaning up behind the counter. I looked down at my watch and realized that it was almost midnight.
"I should probably be going," I said, reluctantly standing up from the table.
Lily looked up at me, her green eyes sparkling. "Do you want to go for a walk?"
I nodded, and we left the coffee shop, walking down the empty streets of the city. We talked and laughed, enjoying each other's company.
As we walked, I noticed that Lily seemed to be getting quieter and quieter. I asked her if anything was wrong, but she just shook her head and kept walking.
We turned a corner, and I saw a figure standing in the middle of the street. It was a woman with long, dark hair. She was wearing a red dress that seemed to glow in the moonlight.
I felt a shiver run down my spine, and I looked over at Lily. She was staring at the woman with an expression of fear on her face.
"Who is she?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Lily didn't say anything. She just stared at the woman, her eyes wide with terror.
The woman began to walk toward us, her eyes fixed on Lily. As she got closer, I could see that her face was covered in scars.
I took a step back, ready to run if I had to. But Lily just stood there, frozen with fear.
The woman stopped in front of us and looked directly at Lily. "You shouldn't have come here," she said, her voice low and menacing.
Lily didn't say anything. She just stood there, her eyes locked with the woman's.
Suddenly, the woman disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
Lily turned to me, her eyes wide with fear. "We have to go," she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the spot where the woman had been standing.
We ran down the street, our hearts pounding in our chests. When we finally stopped to catch our breath, I looked over at Lily. She was staring off into the distance, her eyes unfocused.
"Are you okay?" I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
She looked up at me, her eyes filled with tears. "I have to go," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. And then she ran off into the night, leaving me standing there alone.
I never saw Lily again after that night. I tried to find her, but she seemed to have disappeared into thin air. I often wonder what happened to her and if she ever found the answers she was looking for. But I'll never forget that night, when I met a woman with red hair who changed my life forever.