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</div>Portland. It was the dead of night and she had no idea why she had volunteered to finish that damn project for the sales team...and on a Friday night to boot. Sometimes she felt she was too nice for her own good, but it kept her busy. It was just going to be another night on her own, watching old movies and maybe read a few chapters of a satisfying book. It wasn't like she had anything else better to do.<br/><br/>Moving to a new town came with its own price. Willa knew that, but her father was out in the middle of nowheresville and there were no jobs to speak of that she was able to make a living off of. The city was the best choice for her, she knew. She had hoped to meet new friends, obtain a rewarding job-- but instead she was stuck inside being taken advantage of. Her job was stressful which made it harder for her to have a home life let alone a social one. It was the price to pay to get in the door with the marketing company she had hoped to join, let alone make enough to afford an apartment on her own.<br/><br/>A crash of lightning signaled the impending storm. The rumbling thunder that rolled in the distance told her that rain wouldn't be too far off. If she didn't hurry, she'd be stuck walking home in the rain and in the dark. It was also a signal that she was most likely not going to finish that project after all. At least not any time soon.<br/><br/>Sighing, Willa Martin started to stack the papers on her desk in a neat pile. She was sure to leave a few notes for herself for Monday morning so she knew where she left off. For now, the code was going to have to wait another day. Any more code would make her eyes cross and she simply did not want to walk home in the damn rain. Nothing sucked quite as much as a cold November Rain; especially in the city of Portland.<br/><br/>Once her desk, normally covered in paperwork, looked remotely neat enough to not look like a bomb went off she grabbed her purse, umbrella and jacket before heading for the door. While she sauntered towards her exit, Willa looked for her office keys in her purse, her sights intent on finding the damn keys among the cluttered bag. Despite the lack of attention as she walked, she blindly began to shut the lights off as she went from room to room. It had become second nature to her, as she normally was the only one left to close up.<br/><br/>The night air was frigid. Bitterly cold. One would think there might have been snow on the way, but the thunder told her that there was going to bring more rain than snow. In a few hours it would all turn into an ice rink for sure--but for now it'd start with the cautious freezing rain the coastal city often saw before snow really started to settle in for the impending season.<br/><br/>It'd take her a good ten to fifteen minutes to walk home. That was, if she didn't have to stop and get some milk on her way home. If the roads were truly going to ice over, she'd hate to see what it would be like in the morning let alone the sidewalks. Wrapping her jacket tight about her, Willa did her best to stay warm. The usual busy streets were quiet. Everyone wanted to be inside before the storm started. She couldn't blame them. Of course there were just a few stragglers. Some were trying to get a few provisions before the weekend while others were like her, walking home after a long day at the office.<br/><br/>The convenience store was just a couple of blocks away from the office. The small locally owned shop was not the like the standard convenience store with petrol service, but instead offered a small selection of goods at the same price as a chain store. They made sandwiches for the local business offices too, which saved her on days she didn't feel like bringing lunch, or her fridge was looking a little sparse. She had heard the place called a deli by some co-workers, but she always found it more of a convenience store of sorts rather than a place that sliced meat. For some reason, the local terminology just didn't make sense to her.<br/><br/>A part of her was worried that with the store might have been shutting down for the night because of the impending storm. Freezing rain got nasty this time of year and it wasn't unheard of of small family-owned stores to close shop up early. Thankfully, the lights were on as she rounded the corner. It was still a block away, but she could see that they were open which brought a sense of relief. That was, until the sky started to open up and dump a ton of frigid water upon her and the city below.<br/><br/>The cold rain of course started as a few droplets here, a few there. In mere seconds of it spitting water, the rain truly began to fall. Willa had hoped that it would have at least held off until she got to the store, but the lack of delay to torrential downpour had taken her off guard. She hadn't much chance to fumble with her umbrella before finding herself wet and shivering. The umbrella was only going to be so much help, but she opened it anyway. Any further soaking would most likely make her sick.<br/><br/>Umbrella and purse in hand, Willa started to jog in the direction of the store. The sidewalks weren't slippery yet and the exercise would help keep her warm. Once under the safety of the store awning, she fiddled with her umbrella in order to get it shut prior to walking inside. It was cheaply made and unfortunately gave her difficulty from time to time. The darkness of the area and the freezing rain didn't help matters.<br/><br/>"Here, let me help you..." came a rough voice from behind her. Willa had been facing the street with her back to the store as she struggled closing the umbrella with her stiff and cold fingers. A large hand came from over her shoulder and extended to her umbrella and took it from her hands without asking. Shocked, Willa looked behind her at the man who had offered to help. The man was tall and hulking and seemed intimidating at first glance. He had a dark close-cropped beard and a healthy complexion. His wore a ballcap and a dark green hoodie, but not uncommonly seen in the area--especially among the fishing community. The fact of the matter was, she wasn't exactly sure how to react. If he was truly being nice, she didn't want to seem rude, but if his looks told her anything he was someone she didn't want to be around.<br/><br/>Smiling, Willa thanked him as he finished closing the damn contraption, gently taking it back. It was the best she could think of when erring on the side of caution. She didn't want to seem impolite, but she wanted to get home. That, and something about him just felt off. In return, he nodded with a small smile, before taking out a cigarette.<br/><br/>Gently she walked around the hulking man as he lit his cigarette and stood at the door smoking. The smell made her gag as she walked past the smell of rancid tobacco and noxious poisons. There was a reason why she didn't take up the habit, even as a teenager. The actions of the man standing right next to the door made her lips thin as she thought about how rude most smokers are.<br/><br/>Willa was lost in her thoughts as she hustled about the little corner shop. She grabbed a small half-gallon jug of milk, a box of Oreos for later, and a small can of cat food as a treat for her fuzz-butt waiting so patiently for her at home. Once she paid the attendant, she walked out of the store. Before the smoking man could say any more or offer her help, she popped open her umbrella once more and walked briskly into the night.<br/><br/>She hadn't gotten very far, perhaps a block or so, when she heard footsteps behind her. A presence felt closer, the omonous weight feeling tense with a touch of danger. A few minutes of that feeling lingering, Willa could smell the faint scent of cigarette smoke over the damp rain. Looking back, she knew who he was before actually seeing him. The hulking man had been following her for the last block, and he looked to be gaining on her with ease.<br/><br/>"You know, you've got pretty eyes, darlin'" he commented as he got closer, "You never properly thanked me for helping you with that umbrella of yours..."<br/><br/>"You know very well that I did, and I would appreciate it if you didn't call me darlin."<br/><br/>"Now now, that's no way to talk to a fella looking to be sweet on a lady..." His large hand caught her by the elbow and turned her around to face him. He tried to pull her closer to him, the smell of smoke making her want to gag and gasp for air. "Let me walk you home, sweetheart. Maybe then you can show me how real appreciative you really are...warm us both up nice and good."