A World Without Fear

“At the strike of midnight I stepped out without fear. The air felt fresh. In the absence of fear everything seems fresh as morning dew.”

“I don’t have to bother my friends to accompany me. I don’t need them, for I am free. Free to move about. Every street is mine and every dark corner lit up.

“I never knew how it felt to not be suspicious. I could chat with Uber drivers not worrying about their intent. Icould sit on the pavement of a secluded street and not care.”

Late night ice cream was no more a delicacy. I stepped up to the Ice Cream Van and asked, “I need the vanilla flavor.” The man behind the counter handed me the ice cream without even a glance at me.

“This was new. Absence of staring eyes felt private. I could enjoy the moment. There was no scrutiny of any kind. Neither my looks nor my demeanor had to go through any kind of judgement.”

Every bone in her body ached. The shame of being violated was not enough to kill her imagination. She put down the pen. At least in her imagination she could live happily.