I stand on the rooftop, looking down into the alley some forty feet below. I see her walk in through the alley. Her pace is even, but quickened, as though she wants to get through as fast as possible without looking scared.

There are predators out tonight who can taste fear. Three of them find her.

They ask for her money, any jewelry, anything of value. She dumps her purse on the ground, telling them she doesn’t have anything of value, her voice rising in pitch slightly as panic starts to take hold.

As I make my way down the fire escape, my movements quick and silent, they tell her it’s okay. She has other valuables they’ll take. They move in on her.

I leap from the fire escape, landing lightly behind one of them. Before he knows what happened, I snap his neck.

I turn, and the other two have guns drawn. Before I can move, they shoot us both and flee. She’s dead. I’ve failed her.

The world blurs, fades away…

I stand on the rooftop, looking down into the alley some forty feet below. I see her walk…