Mary backed away, clutching her bag tightly to her chest. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
The fight lasted less than a minute. When the last thug was on the ground, moaning in pain, the men in tuxedos didn't even look back at her. They simply adjusted their jackets and walked away, disappearing around the corner.
Mary stood frozen for several seconds. Her breathing was shaky. She blinked hard, wondering if she had imagined the whole thing.
But the groans from the beaten thugs told her it had been very real.
Her hands trembled. She thought about going to the library like nothing had happened, but fear won over. She still had her children. She had things she wanted to do. She couldn't get caught up in whatever dangerous mess this was.
Turning sharply on her heel, Mary hurried home.
