She should have been angry. She should have fought back. She should have... Amarissa internally screamed at herself to move, to fight, to say something. Anything. And yet nothing would come. Nothing happened and shame washed down over the absolute terror entrapping her body.
Her eyes were wide as the man demanded her attention and grew wider still as Maeri was threatened. She wanted to help, she wanted to stop them. To protect her and her friends. But still paralyzed with fear, not even yelps escaped her young lips.
As the man roughly ripped off her Mitzpah and roved his hands over her body looking for a purse, tears formed in her eyes and her brain ceased to function. There was no escape. No rescue. He was going to take her. Time seemed to stand still and yet somehow race by as before she even knew what was happening she was cast aside and her friend received the same treatment.
Why was she not strong enough to stop them? Why wouldn't her voice work to protest? What terrible betrayal by her own body was this fear that gripped her so?
Relief washed over her as Arela was released and soon Maeri too as the men took what they wished and the big one took off down the street.
With a sudden reaction to her wishes, her body finally moved forward and despite the tears streaming down her face, Amarissa rushed to Arela's side and tried to comfort her. Sobs came freely now and if anything could be heard between the tears it was her heartbroken apologies for doing nothing to protect them. If Maeri joined them she would be wrapped up into the embrace as well as the girls recovered from what was likely the most frightening encounter of their lives so far.
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