**Darkness and Fear**

Three weeks had passed since Ashley had moved into the small, run-down apartment, and it had been a struggle every day. She was now 15 weeks pregnant, and everything was healthy with the baby, but that was about the only positive thing she could say about her life right now. The apartment was a disaster - the electricity was always flickering, and sometimes it didn't work at all. The air was cold and damp, and the smell of mould seemed to permeate every corner of the place. Ashley missed Ryan more each day, and the grief still felt like a heavy weight on her chest. She had tried to go back to work at the coffee shop, but it was a struggle. The long hours and stress of being on her feet all day were taking a toll on her, and the pregnancy was making her tired all the time. She felt like she was just trying to get by, day by day, without anything to look forward to. Emily had been checking in with her daily, worried about her mental and physical health. Ashley appreciated her friend's concern, but she didn't know how to make things better. She felt like she was just barely holding on. It was 3am, and Ashley was lying in bed, wide awake. She had been having trouble sleeping lately, and tonight was no exception. She was lying on her side, staring at the wall, when she heard a loud bang. At first, she thought it was just the old building settling, but then she heard footsteps. Someone was in her apartment. Ashley's heart started racing as she sat up in bed, her eyes scanning the dark room. That's when she saw him - a tall, imposing figure with a gun held to her head. Ashley froze, her mind racing with fear. "Where is it?" the man growled, his voice low and menacing. "I'm looking for expensive items. Jewelry, cash, anything of value." Ashley's mind went blank as she looked around the room. There was nothing of value here - just a few pieces of second-hand furniture and some boxes of clothes. But then she remembered the engagement ring that Ryan had given her. It was the only thing of value she had, and it was still in her jewelry box. The man seemed to sense her fear, and he tightened his grip on the gun. "Don't try anything," he warned. "I'll hurt you if you don't cooperate." Ashley slowly got out of bed, her eyes fixed on the gun. She knew she had to be careful, or she could end up getting hurt. She took a step forward, her hands shaking. "Please," she whispered. "Don't hurt me. I'll give you whatever you want." The man gestured to the dresser, his eyes cold and hard. "Get the jewelry box," he growled. Ashley obeyed, her hands trembling as she opened the box and pulled out the engagement ring. She held it out to the man, her eyes welling up with tears. "It's all I have," she whispered. "Please, just take it and go." The man's eyes flicked to the ring, and for a moment, he seemed to hesitate. Then he snatched the ring from Ashley's hand, his grip closing around it like a vice. "What's your name?" Ashley asked, stalling for time. The man didn't respond, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for anything else of value. Ashley took advantage of the distraction to slowly back away, her eyes fixed on the phone on her nightstand. She was hoping to get to it without the man noticing, to call for help. But as she took another step back, the man's head snapped up, his eyes locking onto hers. "Don't move," he growled, taking a step closer to her. Ashley froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew she had to think fast, or she could end up getting hurt. She looked at the man, trying to read his expression, but it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. All she knew was that she had to protect herself and her unborn baby.