Shadows and Lights
As we rose from the bench, I felt the boy gently brush against my elbow—not forcefully, just enough for me to notice—he was there.
"I'm heading that way too," he said, his voice soft and calm. "We could walk together."
I didn't respond immediately. I only gave a small nod and began walking beside him.
My heart was racing faster than I wanted to admit, yet somehow, I didn't feel afraid.
His closeness was like a warm light in the autumn dusk—quiet, yet safe.
Our steps slowly fell into rhythm together.
We didn't speak, just moved through the city's evening lights, where the glitter of shop windows and the distant hum of cars mingled with the soft whisper of the wind.
For the first time, I felt that silence wasn't oppressive—it was peaceful, yet every moment carried an unspoken meaning.
As if only the two of us existed among the city's noises.
Suddenly, a man stepped in front of us. He was large, his eyes cold, his movements harsh. He shoved me harder than necessary.
"Watch where you're going, girl," he growled harshly.
The world froze for a moment.
My heart pounded in my throat, my voice caught. I just stood there, motionless, while the stranger's shadow fell over me.
But the boy stepped forward. He didn't hesitate, didn't think twice. He simply stood in front of me like an invisible wall, protecting me from everything I had feared until now.
"Is there a problem?" he asked quietly, but his voice cut sharply enough to make the man take a step back. There was no aggression in it—just resolve, the kind you can't ignore.
The moment was tense. The city's sounds faded around us. The man sneered, but something in his gaze trembled. "Forget it," he seemed to say, and then he walked away, as if realizing he had no business here.
I still stood frozen. My hands shook, my heart raced, but a strange calm swept through me.
"You know… you can't let people like that push you around," he said softly, yet sincerely. "If you don't stand up for yourself, there will always be someone who tries to step over you."
"It's okay to be afraid," he continued. "Just don't let anyone control you."
I just stared at him. His words were firm, yet they carried a gentleness.
We stood in silence for a few seconds. The boy slowly started walking toward the corner.
"Well… I'm heading that way. Take care," he said, then turned the corner.
I stood quietly for a while longer, watching his figure disappear into the lights. A small, unfamiliar feeling stirred inside me. It wasn't fear that remained—it was the sense of safety I had never felt before.
I took a deep breath and glanced back at where he had vanished. Then I slowly started walking home. Each step felt lighter, as if the dark street wasn't swallowing me this time, but holding me. The night's silence embraced me, yet it no longer felt as cold as before.
Perhaps this was the first evening I didn't run—I simply kept moving forward.
As I turned the corner, a shadow flicked past the corner of my eye. I stopped, my heart catching in my throat.
"Who could that be?" I wondered, but before I could turn, the figure vanished into the dark alley.