The Chosen — 2025-12-20 (Patreon)

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Chapter 08: STRANGER DANGER by Hannah Madison

Not sure about the last five minutes. Just to get to something like a foundation point, let me say that you—and I—need to be careful when random people approach.

It’s mostly clear in Brooklyn today, so I decided to take a walk, which ended up at the coffee shop. I got a to-go cup and headed back toward the apartment.

I was half a block away when I saw a man looking around. My alert systems went off, shooting up to Defcon 3 instantly. To make matters worse, when he saw me, he motioned a greeting.

I slowed. He took a tentative step toward me.

“Excuse me…” His voice sounded normal enough and he smiled a little. “There’s supposed to be a coffee shop around here. I think I missed it.”

If that was a pickup line, it failed. If it was an attempt to get closer, it was scary. Alarms went to Defcon 4!

“How about Google Maps?” I said.

He held up his phone. “Dead battery… I got close, though.”

Defcon 3, but I backed away half a step. “You don’t look like the kind of guy that would let his battery die. Why did you ask me out of all the people walking by?”

He pointed at my coffee cup. “Sorry… I’ve upset you. I’ll be fine. Sorry.”

I looked at my cup, then at him—Defcon 2. “Oh… yeah… I guess I overreacted.”

He was first to use the phrase. “No problem… Stranger danger… play it safe. I’ll take a shot that the shop is somewhere behind you.”

He walked past me and I turned and pointed. “Maroon awning… Sorry… Yeah… stranger danger.”

“Okay… thanks…” I watched him walk away, feeling bad for how I treated him.

On impulse, I called out.

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“Hey, hang on…”

He stopped and turned around, and I closed the gap to a few steps—a safe distance, but close enough to talk. “I’m sorry about being rude. You just caught me off-guard.”

“No… I understand. Better safe than getting duct-taped to a pole in a basement.”

Defcon 4. “What?”

“I assume you read the papers or watch the news. People go missing… I got a sister… Ava… 23… She drives me nuts with things she thinks are safe… I worry about her all the time.”

Defcon 4. “Taped to a pole… you’re talking about trafficking…”

“Sorry… I’m not making you less upset. But it’s a thing. A bad thing, but… Anyway, apology accepted. You seem like a good person. I wish you happy holidays, and a happy new year, too.”

Defcon 3. “Thanks. You’re right about all that, though. I guess we… I tend to try and forget it.”

He nodded. “Yeah… we do.”

He looked toward the coffee shop then smiled again. “Clear the air? I’m David Gregory. I’m a doctor with CDC… It’s a nice day, so I came over to do some shopping and get some fresh air.”

“Clear the air…” I said. “Hannah… I’m an engineering technician. I just finished my degree earlier this month.”

“You don’t look like an engineer,” he said.

“Oh?”

“Well, that’s prejudice talking. And I don’t look like a guy that lets his battery die, so… I guess appearances are deceiving."

I nodded. “I’m really sorry I was rude. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you, too.”

“Thanks… no problem.”

I watched him walk away again, then turned and headed for home. I was at the crosswalk when I had another thought.

Did my stranger-danger radar over-ride my maybe-this-is-the-guy radar? I suppose David Gregory is just another ship passing in the night… This time off on the horizon.

For a girl like me in a city like NYC, I have to stay safe. Duct-tape and all that… I just have to figure out how to stay safe and not end up 30 years old and alone.

Much to think about…

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