I love the summer, everything seems to slow down and I can relax a bit. It also means that I can get a late evening walk in after my kids go to bed without it being cool enough to need a jacket. I usually have a set route I take so I know how far I'm walking. When I can walk it in a faster time, I add a couple of blocks. I've been trying to get myself back in shape after a long, stressful winter. Tonight I'm feeling adventurous. It's very warm so all I'm wearing is a tank shirt, no bra, and a pair of stretch shorts with a thong. I crank up the volume on my CD player and I'm all set to go. I decided that I'm going to skip my usual route and head out the opposite direction. There is only a slight breeze so I know the sweat is going to have me drenched by the time I get back. I start my pace slow so as to warm up my muscles, no need to risk pulling or straining anything. Considering I walk in the city, it's very quiet on the streets because of the hour. No traffic and very few people out.
I become lost in my music and before I know I've already walked about two miles. From the spot I'm at, I can head one of two directions. Left will keep me on the city streets where it is hot and right will take me through a park where it might be slightly cooler. Not using my best judgment I head right. It's so peaceful here at night, no kids, no squirrels, no birds, just quiet. I turn off my CD player so I can enjoy the quiet, something I rarely get at home. I'm about half way through the park and a strange feeling starts creeping over me. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it's giving me the shivers. I stop and look around. I don't see anything and all I hear is my breathing. I try to shake it off and start walking again. After a short distance the feeling is back, so I stop and look around again. Bad idea. Next thing I know I'm being grabbed from behind and pulled toward a clump of bushes.