It’s after midnight when I leave the bar and start my walk home.  I live only a half a mile away and walking to the bar allows me to drink and not worry about driving.  I keep my drinking under control and never have more than three drinks.

Stepping out the door and onto the sidewalk, I notice there must have been a slight rain shower; the pavement is wet and a bit slippery.  The dampness makes the night air chilly. I look around and the street is deserted; the only sound I hear is the tapping of my heels on the sidewalk.  

I smile as I hear the tap, tap, and tap.  I hold my head just a bit higher and know that I look beautiful in these red shoes.

I finish the first block and continue my walk.  I’ve made this walk at least once a week for the past six months.  It all started when James decided that he couldn’t commit and walked out.  We were engaged. We were planning a wedding and it was only two weeks away.  He suddenly decides that he can’t give up the single life. That third finger on my left hand still feels naked without the ring.  The trip to the bar is to just fill the loneliness.

The section of the walk that troubles me is the area without streetlights.  In that section there is an alley. My imagination always gets carried away and I imagine robbers and stalkers hiding there.   Chills run up my spine just knowing that I’m nearing that section.

James would tell me that I wouldn’t think those things if I didn’t watch so many mysteries.  I pick up the pace. I hear the clicking of my heels. I smile remembering that I’m wearing my new red shoes.  I paid more for them than I should, but I just had to have them. Doesn’t red go with almost anything?

Had it not been for spending so much on the shoes I could have called a taxi.  I hear a sound coming from the right. I’m afraid to look. Maybe it’s just a stray dog rummaging through the trash.  I pick up my speed. I hear the sound again this time I know the sound is coming from the alley. I should look but I’m scared.  I haven’t even reached the alley and I’m already hearing the sounds should I turn around and go back to the club? Just a few more feet and I’ll be past the alley and then I won’t be far from home.  I can’t go back to the club. What would I do there, call a taxi? I don’t have the money to spend. Spend money that I don’t have because I purchased the new red shoes.

I can just hear my mother now telling me that I shouldn’t pay that kind of money for shoes.  It’s being overly extravagant. I just needed something to make me feel good. After the break up I’ve been depressed.  The minute I tried on those shoes; I felt I had a new attitude.

I’m just steps from the alley.  I hear the sound again and this time it’s even louder.  It isn’t an animal it’s a person. Am I imagining all of this?  Did I have too much to drink? What possibly could someone be doing in the alley this time of night?  After all, it’s too dark to be able to see anything.

What can I do?  Maybe I should cross the street at least put the street between me and the noise that I hear.  I hurriedly cross the street but I hear the sound of steps behind me. The steps are heavy so I know the person is big.  Maybe they came out of the alley and their just crossing the street. Don’t pause, don’t look back I tell myself.

I hurry on my way still hearing the sound of my tapping red shoes and someone walking behind me.  I pick up the pace and those heavy footsteps keep up with my pace. Someone is behind me. I’m being followed.  What is it they want? Am I in danger? Maybe they just happen to be walking this way too.

I want to slow down to see if they will pass; but I’m afraid that they will grab me.  If I keep walking and I reach my apartment will they force their way inside? I don’t know what to do.  I reach into my purse and feel around for my phone.

Just digging for my phone has slowed my pace.  Will they catch up with me? For some reason my phone is not in the side pocket.  Maybe I missed the pocket and it fell to the bottom. I fish around in the bottom of my purse.  I step up my pace. I locate the phone and feel a wave of relief. I pull it from my purse. Do I call 9-1-1 even though nothing has happened?  If I wait for something to happen it will be too late to make the call. What do I do?

I cross a side street and listen.  The heavy footsteps behind me continue.  I notice no matter how fast or slow I walk they are keeping up with my pace.  I feel panic as my hands tremble and my legs are shaking. I must make the call now or it will be too late.  I’ll be home soon. I must do something. I lift my phone to make the call. I manage to dial 9-1-1 when I’m grabbed from behind.  

A gloved hand covers my mouth and my arms are pinned at my sides.  I’m being dragged backwards. This is for real. This is something you only see on television but it’s happening to me.  

I’m dragged into the alley.  I don’t know what happened to my phone and that was my life line.  I struggle to get away. I lunge myself forward hoping to free my mouth or my arms but the attacker is too strong and I’m unable to free myself.  I inhale and smell the dirty glove over my mouth, a mixture of smoke and dirt. It’s a large hand and covers my mouth and chin. He pulls me into the alley.  

Fear grips me and tears flood my eyes.  I blink and the tears run down my cheeks and my face is all wet.  He drags me into the alley and grabs for my purse. I pull back knowing my keys, identification,  address, and what little money I have are all in that purse.

“Please don’t take my purse.  Why did you pick me?”

He doesn’t respond but pulls on my purse strap.  I pull back and fall backwards; still clutching my purse.  He towers over me and I see the flicker of something shiny.  I blink and look again. There is a flash of light and now I know he has a knife.  At that moment the knife plunges into my chest and I let go of my purse. I hear running.  There is a bright light shining down the alley. When I see the light I think, did I die, am I going through that tunnel with the light at the end?  

“Stop this is the police.”  I hear a voice shouting.

I lay there lifeless in the dark and dungy alley.

I hear shuffling before everything goes dark.

A few minutes later I awake in the back of an ambulance.  The medic is hovering over me and he says,

“You’re one lucky lady.  The police managed to get your purse and they found your phone on the sidewalk.  It’s a good thing that you called 9-1-1 or we would have never known you were in the alley.”

“I thought I’d lost my phone before the call to 9-1-1 went through.”

“Next time you need to take a taxi.  This area is dangerous. A lot of bad things happen in that alley.”  

“I thought it was all my imagination.”  

“No ma’am.  A lot of people have been killed in that alley.  Tonight you would have been one of them. The police got to you just in time.  The knife only made a small puncture. The police got to you before it was plunged deeper.”

“Will you tell me something please?”  I look into the face of the paramedic.

“Certainly, what is it?”  He asks.

“Did he mess up my new red shoes?”