RUINED

I rushed to my closet to throw on my heels, on my way to court for another hearing in a Child Protective Services case I was on. My room- mate and BFF, Lisa, and I only had one assigned parking space. It was on the other side of the complex. I tripped a bit in my heels as I quickly walked to my car, yearning for my sneakers instead. The only sounds I could hear were the clicking of my heels and the birds occasional chirping in the still

morning.

I left unusually early, craving a Starbuck's venti double shot café mocha and a breakfast sandwich to wake me up from the late night I had the night prior with Lisa at a piano bar.

A breakfast of champions, I often said.

I was almost to my car when I spotted a white van illegally parked in a red zone about ten spots down. I was surprised it hadn't been towed since our apartment manager was such a stickler about illegal parking. Last time I'd tried something like that, he'd been out screaming before I could even open my car door.

As I reached my car, I startled when the van's engine turned over in the still morning. It inched forward to the back of my car. The side door slid open, silencing the world.