Winner of the University of South Carolina’s Havilah Babcock Short Story Award
Step by Step Instructions: How to Walk Alone from the Library to your Car at Two in the Morning
If you are a woman, please read section A. If you are a man, please read section B.
A. Women. The process of walking alone from the library to your car at two in the morning actually begins upon arrival. If you are parking in a parking garage, please read section 1. If you are parking on the side of the road, please read section 2.
Section 1. Parking Garage. If you are parking in a garage, make sure it is in a well-lit area with a lot of open space. If possible, park in between two empty spaces. Stay away from corners and stairwells as they are common areas for an attacker to hide.
Section 2. Street Parking. If you are parking on the side of the road, make sure it is under a working streetlight and near a safety-callbox. Leave enough room between your car and the one in front of you in case you need to drive away quickly.
I usually get tired around 1 a.m., but the fluorescent library lights keep me up. I don’t like going to the library, especially this late, but if I stay home, I will get distracted and never finish my paper. At home, my roommates will want to watch a movie and my bed will cry out, “Rachyl! Come to me! You can write your paper in the morning!” – a call I too often follow. There is a certain dreariness about the wood-paneled library walls, the scratchy seat cushions, and the musk of old paper. A dreariness that motivates me to finish and get out as soon as possible.
When you step out of the library, look to the left and right as you would before crossing a street. Be aware of anyone who might be around you. If the surroundings look safe, begin to walk quickly and confidently. Stand up straighter than you usually would. Don’t sink into yourself. It shows weakness. Facing the night is like facing a bear. You must make yourself as large as possible.
Section 3. Attire. Wear comfortable shoes. Avoid slippers, sandals, flip flops, and flats. Wear sneakers or other running shoes tied in double knots, tightly, without the laces hanging. Do not carry any loose bags, binders, or sweaters. Fit everything into your backpack, even though it might look ridiculous. Wear both straps tight to your body. Conceal all noticeable valuables such as watches and expensive jewelry. Do not wear headphones or listen to music. It shows distraction and restricts your awareness to surroundings.
When I was in third grade, I wanted to be the “shy girl with glasses.” I wanted to get picked last in gym and to sit alone at lunch – to have the “quiet but kind” demeanor. All of the lead girls in my favorite shows had this character. Ariel, Violet Incredible, Cinderella. Gabriella Montez. The quiet reader who puts on a dress to go to Prom and suddenly everyone realizes she is beautiful. At eight years old, I wanted to be weak. I wanted to be submissive. And why? Because on television, those girls got the boys.
Section 4. Phone Calls. Talking on the phone can be both beneficial and dangerous. For scenario 1, please read section II. For the scenario 2, please read section III.
II. Scenario 1. Like listening to music, talking on the phone can show ignorance. In this way, it can encourage an attacker because you are less likely to notice them coming.
III. Scenario 2. Talking on the phone can deter an attacker because if you were attacked, the person on the other line would know something was wrong. While they could alert the police, there is nothing they can do in that moment to assist you or stop the attacker.
Pick your poison.
It was cloudy and cold as I walked through Five Points with my dad. The sky began to drizzle, and we raced to get inside the store. Out of nowhere, he stopped and stood in front of an empty parking space. “That’s where it happened,” he turned to me. “That’s where that girl was taken.” “Yeah,” I answered. “Right there.” We both stood there looking at the pavement, felt the rain, and said nothing.
Section 5. Props. Weapons to carry on your person include a single key, a key chain, pepper spray, a taser, or a pocketknife. Readily accessible keys are beneficial because they can also help you get into the car quickly. Hold these weapons in your dominant hand with your non-dominant hand free. Many people will hold a phone in their hand, but this makes it slower to open a car door, and this means you’ll have to drop your phone if you engage in conflict. For an acceptable use of the phone, please read section IV.
IV. Acceptable Phone Usage. Phones can be held if you are using an application that alerts police if your phone loses sensation of your finger. Hold down on the phone screen until you get inside your car and enter the pin number. If you are attacked and you drop your phone, the police will be dispatched because the pin number was never entered.
“Rachyl! Come downstairs!” I heard my mom’s voice from the living room. It was a school night at 10 p.m., which meant one of three things: my parents were watching Survivor, This is Us, or Dateline. I trudged downstairs and walked in to the TV paused on a girl’s face. She looked about 16, had blonde hair and brown eyes. She was pretty, not stunning though. She leaned up against a white pole, like she was taking a senior picture. “What?” I asked. “This girl who was killed on Dateline,” my mom started, “looks exactly like you.”
Weapons can be used as follows: a key aimed at the eyes, a keychain aimed at the face, pepper spray aimed at the eyes, a taser aimed at the groin, or a pocketknife aimed at the throat. Note: all of these objects can be used against a victim as well as an attacker.
V. Noisemakers. Noisemakers are not weapons in themselves, but they alert bystanders who could help or who could have a weapon.
If you do not have a weapon of any kind, ball your fist into your sweatshirt to make it look like you are holding one. Confidence is key here. Make it known that you have a weapon, whether or not you do.
VI. Your Body as a Weapon. While punching might be your first instinct, it is not the best idea if you’ve never punched before. You can use a heel palm strike to break an attacker’s nose or clap their ears with three pounds of force to rupture their eardrums. The elbow is the strongest part of the body. Sensitive parts of the body include the top of the head, the face, the eyes, the nose, the throat, the solar plexus, the knees, the shins, and the groin (for both male and female attackers).
“Go look on Twitter.” “Have you seen it yet.” “She was on the news.” I exited out of my phone messages and opened Twitter, where my former classmate was holding a press conference. “He raped me,” she said firmly. “And the police told him not to sweat it.”
Section 6. Followers. Take caution at everyone around you no matter their size, age, or gender. For scenario 1, please read section VII. For scenario 2, please read section VIII.
VII. Scenario 1. If someone is following alongside you, stop for a moment to see if they stop as well. If they continue to walk without flinching, they are not a threat. If they stop alongside you, see Scenario 2.
VIII. Scenario 2. If someone is following you from behind or stops alongside you, make eye contact with them. If eye contact doesn’t deter them, keep a reasonable distance and confront them. “Can I help you?” Predators want an easy target, and this will throw them off guard. They will often act offended at this breach of social contract and steer you to feel paranoid. “Chill out bitch, I’m just walking.”
a. That Feeling. A lump of guilt will well up in your chest making you want to vomit – Did I just offend someone? Was I exaggerating? Should I apologize? – burry that feeling and walk away.
Section 7. When in doubt, run.
When Claire got back from vacation, we knew something was wrong. She didn’t speak in class, she avoided us in the halls, and she wore her hood over her head. The bell rang to go to lunch and we walked quietly to her car, as we did every lunch period. She sat in the driver’s seat for a second before turning back. As she leaned over her right shoulder and pulled the steering wheel left, I saw her makeup-covered black eye, busted lip, and neck bruises in the shape of two hands. “Something happened,” she said. And we all knew.
Always walk near the center. Stay away from edges where someone can conceal themselves in shrubbery or a parked car. Think encouraging thoughts. You are brave. You are strong. You are powerful. Mentality can affect physicality. You will look braver, stronger, more powerful.
Section 8. Trust your Gut. If something feels wrong, something is probably wrong.
My mom and I began our half mile walk from the Students International building to our host family’s house. Bible Study had gone longer than expected and our stomachs gurgled for the rice and beans awaiting us. The sky was pitch black, and the streets were empty. In the distance, a figure took shape on the sidewalk, walking towards us. It was a man. We shuffled to the other side of the street like we were told to do. He did the same. Closer and closer, he approached us walking at a steady pace. 100 feet. 50 feet. 30 feet. Things became hot and blurry. My heart pounded in my ears. 15 feet. 10 feet. 5 feet. And then, like a ghost, he walked through us like we weren’t even there.
Do not unlock your car until you are immediately next to it. Once the car is unlocked, slip in quickly and press the lock button as soon as possible. Do not put your backpack in any other door before getting in the driver’s seat, as it frees up the opportunity for someone else to get in the car. Instead, shove your valuables into the driver’s seat followed by your body. It should be one cramped and awkward motion. Practice makes perfect. Press the lock button at least two more times just to make sure. Check behind you to make sure no one is sitting in the back seats. Lean further down to make sure they’re not huddled in the foot space (it is my worst fear that someone will be hiding there and strangle me while driving). Once it is clear, do not loiter. Do not text your boyfriend or spend time finding a podcast on Spotify. The Morning Toast can wait. Just drive.
B. Men. Step out of the library and walk towards your car. Unlock the car. Sit in the driver’s seat. Go.
