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Catch Fire

Zoe

The woht club has a line out the door waiting to use it The men’s room? No line

And I’ency When things are that dire, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do

So I ignore the line of women, holdthere My luck holds — there’s nobody else in here Darting into a stall, I lock it and find sweet relief

Closing h It’s a ain, and when I do they widen in shock Because just on the other side of my stall door are two pairs of feet in heavy work boots Men’s feet, judging from their size, their footwear, and … um… their location, here in the men’s room

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am alarmed Mine is not the only stall in the place and theup to the urinals They see … for me

Crap! Just nore them and hope they leave?

That option disappears when the door rattles and a deep voice says, “Step out of the stall, e the man too much by his voice, but he doesn’t sound like the creepy assailant type More like a DJ for a sexy-love-songs radio show

“Just a second,” I call, and finish taking care of business as quickly as possible Just in case, I dig my tiny can of mace out of my purse and have it at the ready The door opens inward, puttinget in the way ofthe bolt, I slide it back

As soon as the door is free, it bursts open, so fast I have to jerk away frointo the toilet, but two strong hands grab my arms and yank me forward out of the stall

The next ainst the wall “Hey!” I yell as I’m relieved of my mace and my purse “Give those back!”

“Hush up,” says that saht at the reat it sounds

“Hush up?” I repeat “Did you just tell me to hush up?” My voice rises evenon?”

A ht of us His eyes go frootta pee, man,” he says finally

“Bathroom’s closed,” my captor snaps in a tone of absolute finality “Find another one”

The intruder backs away, hands up and out “Okay, okay, sheesh” Then he’s gone