Losing her identity was the beginning; discovering the thief was only steps away made her hunger for justice.
Grab Hold First Line
She thought the hacker lived a world away—until she discovered he lived just down the hall.
Flash Fiction Prompt
Identity theft wasn’t just a headline to her; it was a nightmare that hollowed out her life. Bank accounts frozen. Credit ruined. Even her driver’s license—gone. She felt invisible, erased. It took weeks of desperation before her tech-savvy friend traced the trail. The hacker wasn’t an untouchable ghost behind endless screens. He lived three doors down, smiling as he passed her in the hallway, carrying groceries, blending in like any other neighbor. The betrayal was worse than the theft. Fury replaced fear.
Her friend showed her the digital fingerprints, the sloppy mistake that gave him away. Now, it wasn’t about passwords or bank accounts. It was about reclaiming herself. She could run to the police, but some part of her screamed for more. A plan was forming—dangerous, bold, and dripping with the promise of justice. When the hacker stole her identity, he thought she’d fade. Instead, he awakened the part of her that refuses to be erased.
If this were your story, would you call the police—or take matters into your own hands?