NEW RULES

Unable to tear their eyes away from the warm, inviting scene inside, the watcher reached for the door handle without consciously deciding to go through with it. But at the last second, a small shred of self-restraint stopped their hand. They realized how insane it would be to actually intrude on Ellis and Zoey's lives in such a reckless way, with neither a plan nor rationale to justify it.

The watcher's mind raced, senses suddenly hyper-alert to the sounds and movements around them on the sidewalk. What if someone noticed them lingering here staring through the window like a deranged stalker? The thought of being seen, having to explain themselves, flooded the watcher with panicked adrenaline.

With a harsh indrawn breath, they backed away from the bar's entrance and turned to melt into the crowd heading down the street. The fantasy of upending the watcher's twisted little world had nearly overwhelmed their rational judgment, but they managed to pull back from that brink. At least for