I swallow two Advil to lessen my headache. After double checking the door to make sure it's locked, I recline in my Lazy-boy chair. Flicking through the channels I try to take my mind off the night’s events. My head throbs as my mind reenacts what happened.

My shift ends and I started to walk home. Glancing at the sky I curse as dark rain clouds roll over the mountains making their way to the city. Burrowing my hands into my jacket pockets to hide them from the nippy autumn air I follow the usual route back to my apartment. Pausing at the intersection waiting for the light to change, I watch the cars speed by...people always five minutes behind. The city was just as busy at night as it is in the day. Maybe lacking a few pedestrians, but generally the same. The light changes and the throng of people make their way across the road, myself included.

Just as I near the neighborhood park my heel breaks. Grumbling about my luck I make my wobbly way to the park's slide and sit down to fix my shoe. The heel is barely still attached to the shoe. If I were going to make it home with unsprained ankles I had to fix this shoe. Sighing I fully remove the heel from the shoe. I put the heel in my purse. Maybe I could reattach it later. Again my eyes drift skyward. The dark clouds were blocking off what remained of the natural light. The parks trees were silhouetted against the night sky. Something clicks in my mind as I remember the shortcut that was through those trees. My gaze drifts between the sidewalks laden with people. And the trail leading between the trees into the back alleys. My common sense was telling me to go where the people are, but something else was telling me to use this shortcut. I'll be home in less then twenty minutes I bet.

My eyes trail over the trees dark canopies. Landing on a child's kite entangled and hanging from the branches. Giving the path an eerie feeling as it sways in the slightest breeze. Pushing forward without as much as a look back I bravely, or stupidly, go onwards into the forbidding dark.

My breath gets caught in my throat as the kite dislodges itself from the branches and falls to the ground. Creating a crunching sound in the dry fallen leaves. My whole body tenses as I turn to see what made the sound. Letting out a sigh and soft chuckle when I see the child's toy laying innocently in a bed of leaves. Turning back around I continue on my way. I notice how more defined my sense are, the sound of the wind whispering in the trees, and the leaves on the park floor crinkling so loud it was like they were announcing my every step. My eyes seemed to pick up things that weren't there. A figure staring at me from the tree line, when it was really just a clump of small trees.

My feet seem to make an echo as I plod on the pavement. It was just the sound of my footsteps ricocheting off the surrounding buildings I reassure myself pulling my jackets collar higher on my neck. I turn down the alley that will take me to my apartment. For the second time that night my breath gets caught in my throat. I tried to scream but my throat was too tight for any noise to escape. I manage only a squeak.

Crushink chnk

The metal fence bends against the dog that was throwing itself at it.

"wuff wuff ruuuufff wuff wuff!" the mangy dog throatily growls and yells at me. Regaining my sense I slowly back away, not turning my back on the dog until I was a good ten feet away. I will have to take the next alley way, it'll only be five more minutes.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. If it was only an echo, why did it echo before I walked? I whip around, my eyes darting every where until they fall on the dog staring manacling back at me. I sigh, "Too many crime shows." I mutter to the empty alley. I turn around and walk full force into something. My skin crawls with goose bumps as I look up to see an unshaven man staring down at me.

My reactions were slow. It was like those dreams where you are moving in super slow motion, or running and not going anywhere. Finally a scream burst from my mouth and I take a few steps back. He laughed. He laughed and compared me to a 'deer caught in the headlights'. I continue to back up. My voice seemed to have left me. My head swiveled this way and that trying to find an escape. This man, he kept walking towards me and talking. He was talking about crime shows. Why was he talking to me? It perplexed me. My eyes land on a fire escape. No, I'd ever make it, not with heels, or should I say one heel. Plus this man looked fit; he'd catch me in no time. My mind reels, my heart was pounding so hard and fast I could barley hear him.

thump thump thump thump thump thump

My blood rushes through my veins at an accelerated pace.

"So if you happened to have watched any of those shows, you of all people should know to have not gone down a dark, secluded alley way." The man laughs again, "For Pete's sake! Even little children know more than you do!"

My eyes focus on the man, "What?" My voice shocked me. It sounded unbelievably calm. The man just stares at me, "Enough chit chat." His voice lost the humor in it, and gained a cold tinge to it. He lunged at me just as my fingers curled around the mesh of a metal fence.

Crushink chnk

The metal fence squeals as the dog jumps against it. The man gasps, releases me and takes a few steps back. I pivot on my heel and climb the metal fence. My foot slides and the heel gets hooked on the metal wires, "No..no..no,no,no.." I moan trying to free my foot. My hands sting as the cold metal presses against the exposed flesh. The dog was barking, constantly barking, its paws scrapping my knees. I fruitlessly try to latch to the fence as his huge hand grabs my ankle. With one harsh pull I was sent crashing to the ground. The sound of my head making contact with the pavement made me want to gag. As the man walks towards me the vibrations of his heavy footfalls sends a whole new wave of pain to my head. He towers over me. He was saying something again. I couldn't focus on what it was he said, but when he got closer I knew it was something I wouldn't like.

I threw wild kicks at him, trying to bay him. They were all fertile and most didn't hit him. I pulled my right leg back and with all the strength I could muster I threw my leg at him. He groans in pain as my stiletto heel pierces his skin and digs into his thigh. As fast as I can I slip my foot out of the shoe and get up. I look to the end of the alley, I can see the street lights and people bustling about under their glow. I try to run but the pounding in my head slows me to a walk. I twisted my ankle at some point, my walk had a limp to it. I was going as fast as I could. The only thing gong through my head was how I had to get away from the man with the unshaven face. The dog starts its barking again and I hear movement from behind me. "Oh god." I whisper to the night, my hot breath swirling in the cold air, "Please help me.Anyone.Help" Too afraid to look back I push myself faster. The combined pain from my foot and head bring tears to my eyes. I hear the man groans as he puts weight onto his leg. With tears streaming down my face I get a small spark of hope. Only ten more feet.

I limp my way out of the alley, welcoming the orange glow from the street lamp, "Oh god." I say frantically looking around, not knowing where to go. I see a lady hail a cab. I quickly limp to her speaking to fast, tears falling from my face, my eyes wide with fear, "Lady! Lady! oh god! Please. Please help me!" My hands pawing the air trying to find something to hold. The woman grabs my arms and sensing my panic asks, "What? What's wrong?" I cry, "A--a man. Please, help, get me out of here." She ushers me into the cab and closes the door.

"The hospital please" The women tells the cab driver before turning to stare at me. I huddle against the door of the cab, staring out the window into the first few drops of rain. I glance at the alley way to see an outline of a man, two eyes staring into my own. As we drive away my wide, watery, red rimmed, blue eyes stare back at me from my reflection.

Sitting in the hospital, my head, knees, and ankle bandaged up I apologize to the kind women. "I am very sorry ma'am. But I lost my purse trying to get away, if there's any way I can replay you. At all, please tell me." My eyes meet her sincere filled eyes, she cups my cheek with her hand in a comforting way and replies with, "Hon, just promise me you'll never take risky short cuts again, and that's all the payment I need." I can only nod, "Thank you."

Wiping a stray tear from my cheek I get out of the Lazy-Boy and pick up the phone. I listen to the dial tone for a few seconds before,

"Hello?" A tired voice answers on the other end, "Hello?" it repeats more alert.

"Mummy," I say into the phone, "I want to come home."