The subway car was packed. Passengers, pressed against the windows and against one another, swayed gently with the rhythm of the train's twists and turns. Lisa, a young woman with wavy chestnut hair, stood near the door, her blue coat contrasting with the metallic gray of her surroundings. Her handbag hung from her shoulder, and she gripped a rail tightly to stay steady.
Suddenly, her phone, nestled in her jean pocket, buzzed. She delicately took it out, weaving her way between the arms and bags of other riders. The screen displayed an unexpected notification: "Airdrop: Unknown sent you a photo." She remembered conversations she had with friends about this new trend among the youth: using Airdrop to flirt anonymously, especially in public places like the subway. Some found it amusing, others intrusive. Lisa never thought she'd be the target of such an approach.
Curious and slightly amused, she accepted the request. On her screen appeared an image: a lush bouquet of red roses, accompanied by a caption elegantly written: "For the lovely lady in the blue coat." Lisa's heart raced. Who was this secret admirer?
She slowly raised her eyes, scanning the car, hoping to maybe spot a smiling face or a knowing wink. But all the passengers seemed engrossed in their own worlds, some listening to music, others reading or simply daydreaming. No one seemed to have noticed her, or at least, no one showed that they had just sent her this mysterious message.
The train slowed down, arriving at the next station. As the doors opened, Lisa wondered: should she reply? And above all, who could be interested in her in such a bold and modern way?
The subway carried on, each station bringing in a fresh wave of passengers. Lisa still firmly held the rail, phone in hand, contemplating her response. Her thumb slid on the screen, and she gently typed: "Who are you?". She waited anxiously, her heart beating a little faster.
Almost immediately, another Airdrop notification popped up. This time, it was a photo of a man's silhouette, taken from behind. He wore a dark coat and a black hat that concealed his hair. Although the photo was of good quality, there were no distinctive details to identify the sender. The caption, written in the same elegant style as before, simply read: "Guess.".
Lisa felt a chill run down her spine. Who was this stranger? Why this digital hide-and-seek? However, part of her was captivated by this modern form of flirtation. She had heard of people meeting their soulmates in equally unconventional ways. Was this a sign? Perhaps, in the midst of this crowded car, someone had truly noticed her and just wanted to get to know her in a unique way.
Smiling at the thought, she decided to reply to the mysterious admirer. After all, there was no harm in playing along, right? She opened her emoji selection and picked a face with a questioning look. She hit "Send" and waited.
The subway car entered a tunnel, plunging the passengers into darkness for a brief moment. Lisa's phone screen shone in the dimness. She hoped for a reply, wondering which of these strangers pressed around her was her mysterious suitor.
Stations passed by, passengers got on and off, but Lisa became increasingly engrossed in her exchange with the unknown person. Each notification sent a thrill of curiosity through her. The interaction had become an exhilarating scavenger hunt. A photo of a poster in the car she recognized, accompanied by a question: "Guess where I am?" Then another of a solitary bench, captured at the previous station, with the caption: "This is where we first crossed paths, do you remember?" Lisa tried piecing together the puzzle, recalling if she had ever seen this man before.
The game was thrilling, until she received a new notification that made her jump. It was an up-close photo. Her shoes, blue flats she had put on that morning, were clearly visible. The caption this time simply read: "Watch where you step.".
Suddenly, Lisa felt cold. Her hands gripped her phone tightly, her eyes scanning the car quickly. All the other passengers seemed engrossed in their phones, newspapers, or thoughts. But who among them was watching her so closely?
Her breathing quickened, feeling trapped, knowing her every move was being monitored. She wondered if this initially innocent game was turning decidedly more sinister.
She needed to act, and quickly. But how could she evade someone who seemed to always be one step ahead?
***
The distinctive sound of the subway doors opening echoed through the car. Lisa watched passengers head for the exit. Some struck up conversations, while others, with headphones securely on, lost themselves in their playlists.
She envied them for their normalcy, because at this moment, her reality was anything but ordinary.
The car emptied quickly, leaving only a handful of people. The atmosphere shifted, becoming almost stifling. The silence was once again broken by the familiar ring of her phone. She jumped.
A new Airdrop message.
Hesitatingly, she opened the notification. The displayed photo was strikingly clear, distinctly revealing the name of the station where she usually got off. But what sent a chill down Lisa's spine was the caption accompanying the image: "Let's meet here!"
Her heart raced. Who was this person? What did they want? Lisa glanced around. She analyzed every face, looking for a hint, some familiarity, but nothing. Each passenger seemed as ordinary as the next.
The temptation to follow this invitation was strong, driven by a morbid curiosity. Was it a secret admirer? An innocent game? But a voice in her head screamed to be cautious.
The subway resumed its journey, the strobing light of the tunnels casting shifting shadows throughout the car. Every station was a potential escape, a way out.
As the car slowed for the next stop, Lisa took a deep breath. Would she continue this dangerous game or would she decide to get off and put an end to this strange sequence of events? She felt adrenaline surge, her hand gripping her bag's strap tightly.
The decision had to be made now.
***
The chill of the station enveloped Lisa as she stepped out of the car. The stone vault, weathered by time, echoed the distant murmur of conversations and the hurried footsteps of travelers. The dim lighting gave the station an almost cinematic ambiance. Shadows were cast, making silhouettes dance on the walls.
The distinctive subway smell, a mix of iron, tar, and the surrounding dampness, tickled her nostrils. Every second of her unexpected journey was punctuated by the echo of her footsteps. Lisa tried to stay calm, to maintain composure. But with every moment, she wondered if she was making a grave mistake.
She had barely taken a few steps towards the escalator when she felt the familiar vibration in her pocket. Her stomach tightened. She took out her phone and unlocked it.
The image on the screen showed the escalator she was about to use, revealing the shiny metal of the moving steps. But what caught her attention was the caption. "Almost there."
She looked up, her eyes settling on the escalator in front of her. Lisa felt trapped, but she couldn't help wanting to discover the end of this story. Who was this person? What did they want to show her?
Determined, she approached the escalator and stepped on. The machine slowly carried her up, with each second feeling like an eternity. Her breathing quickened, her heart raced.
When she reached the top, she quickly scanned the surroundings, looking for any sign, a familiar silhouette, the man in the black hat. But nothing. Just the distant whistle of a departing train.
Yet, she knew he was there, somewhere, watching her.
The station corridor, usually bustling, seemed deserted. The few sparse travelers passed hurriedly, indifferent, eyes glued to their screens. The cool underground air brushed Lisa's skin, and she could almost see her breath materialize in front of her. The distant sounds of chatter and footsteps faded, as if time had paused.
Suddenly, a cold sensation enveloped her shoulder. She jolted forward, her heart pounding wildly. Turning around, she came face to face with a man with a thin face, framed by round glasses, and wearing a black hat. His eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. His mouth twisted into an almost childlike grin, as if he had just played a trick.
"Glad to see you, Lisa," he whispered in a voice soft, almost melodic.
Caught off guard, Lisa couldn't hide her surprise. How did this man know her name? She had never met his gaze before, or so she thought. A wave of panic overtook her. Every instinct screamed to run, to get as far away from this stranger as possible.
She stepped back, looking for a way out, an exit. Her quivering voice betrayed her anxiety. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"
The man burst into laughter, a crystalline laugh echoing through the station's silence. "All these questions, Lisa! Don't you remember me?"
Lisa frowned, searching her memory. But nothing, not a spark of recognition. Her confusion only heightened her fear. She felt this man, though charming on the outside, was hiding something.
He moved toward her, arms spread as if to reassure her. "Don't worry. Everything will become clear. Follow me."
But Lisa wasn't ready to trust him. She needed to find a way to escape, and fast.
The bright neon lights of the station corridor reflected on the phone screen the man held up to Lisa. The displayed photo was of a sunny day in a park. Lisa and Sophie, her best friend, sat on a bench, laughing heartily. The picture, filled with joy and camaraderie, starkly contrasted the tension of the present moment.
"You don't remember me?" asked the man, a slight smirk on his face. "I'm Mathieu, Sophie's younger brother."
Lisa narrowed her eyes, searching her memory. Indeed, a memory of a party at Sophie's came back to her, where she had spotted a man standing off to the side, watching the guests from the shadow of a corner. That was him.
"Ah! Yes, I remember now," said Lisa, letting out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you. And with those Airdrop messages... I didn't know what to expect."
Mathieu nodded, understanding her apprehension. "I admit, it was a rather odd way to get your attention. Sophie had told me about you, and I wanted to meet you. I didn't think it would scare you so much."
Lisa, still a bit rattled from the experience, laughed nervously. "Let's just say it was... unique. A bit too much, maybe."
"I apologize," said Mathieu, his eyes filled with sincerity. "Come on, let me buy you a coffee to make up for it."
They headed towards the exit, chatting about this and that. The weight of anxiety seemed to have lifted, replaced by a light camaraderie.
But as they left the station, Lisa's phone buzzed. She took it out of her pocket and opened the new Airdrop message she'd received: "I'm watching you."
Lisa's blood ran cold. She looked up, searching for Mathieu. But the man in the black hat had vanished, leaving behind only an echo of mystery.
***
As night fell, Lisa pushed open the door to her apartment, clutching her purse against her. She turned on all the lights, casting furtive glances out the windows. Everything seemed calm. Perhaps all of this was just a bad dream, she thought..
Lisa took her phone and dialed Sophie's number. After two rings, her familiar voice answered on the other end.
"Hi, Sophie, it's Lisa. Is Mathieu with you? Did he tell you where he was going today?"
A silence settled on the other end, then Sophie asked, clearly surprised, "Mathieu? Who's Mathieu?"
Lisa felt her stomach twist.
"Mathieu... your younger brother..."
Sophie replied, her voice tinged with odd perplexity, "Lisa, I don't have a brother. I'm an only child."
A chilling shiver ran down Lisa's spine, and she hung up.
Her phone buzzed again. Her heart raced at the sight of the notification. A new Airdrop message. Hesitating, she opened the message: a photo of her house taken from the outside, the interior lights casting a warm glow that contrasted with the cold of the night.
She rushed to the window, scanning the darkness. Nothing.
Another message. This time, a photo of her front door. The doormat in front of the door was visible, as was the threatening shadow cast upon it. Tears welled up in Lisa's eyes. She felt like prey, hunted in her own home.
Without wasting time, she dialed the police. She explained the situation, her shaky voice betraying her fear. Officers were dispatched to the scene, but after a thorough inspection, no sign of the intruder was found. They advised Lisa to spend the night elsewhere.
The following days were a nightmare for her. The Airdrop messages kept coming at random times, each more disturbing than the last. She eventually turned off her phone, trying to find some semblance of peace.
***
A week later, Lisa's friends, worried about not hearing from her, went to her apartment. The place was empty. No signs of struggle, nothing. She seemed to have vanished.
The police found her phone in a drawer. It had been neatly put away, as if Lisa had intended to hide it. On the screen, a final Airdrop notification was displayed, showing an image of Lisa from the back. The caption, though simple, was chilling: "Together at last."