Emma’s chest tightened. In her mind, she heard her father’s voice reminding her: “If something feels wrong, don’t ignore it. Make light, make noise.”

The man noticed her. His eyes sharpened. He stepped forward slowly, like he was checking to see if anyone else was around. The street was empty—no pedestrians, no cars. Emma’s palms grew sweaty as her heart pounded harder. The man began walking faster.

A Split-Second Decision

Emma turned her head—he was already too close. Her eyes darted around the stairwell. In that instant, instinct took over. She did something the man never expected.