The slippage was huge---for the man. He was easily able to get to the knife rack first. In fact, Allison was so petrified that once she fell down, she didn't even bother to get up.<br/><br/>But she did when the man yanked her to her feet and started asking her questions.<br/><br/>"I--I'm a nurse," she said, hoping that it would make him somehow calm down. Unless he hated doctors, hospitals and nurses. She groaned at the thought.<br/><br/>Allison tried to steady her breathing when the man briefly left her alone in the kitchen. She hugged her arms to herself, swallowing and praying that he wasn't a rapist, or worse.<br/><br/>She saw him cut the phone cord, just like the bad guys do in the movies. And in those movies, the girls often get murdered. Another groan.<br/><br/>"Please," she managed when he returned. "Don't hurt me. I'll give you whatever you want," she said.<i>Unless it's my body, </i>she thought.<br/><br/>He wanted her keys and her phone.<br/><br/>Allison had to think about that. She was frazzled.<i>Goddammit, where did I put everything?<br/>
</i><br/>Thankfully, she remembered.<br/><br/>"My purse," she said in a husky voice. "Hanging by the front door."<br/><br/>She shook her head at his next question.<br/><br/>"No alarms. I have a laptop. In my bedroom," she said, wincing at herself for even saying the word "bedroom." Best not to give this man any ideas.<br/><br/>"Please," she repeated. "Just take everything and leave. I won't tell a soul. I have homeowner's insurance. Take what you want. I'll just file a claim," she said, and she immediately felt like an idiot for saying it.<i>Make a claim? You're talking fucking insurance when a dude has a knife to you?<br/>
</i><br/>Allison took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She tried to remember her yoga breathing instructions. If ever there was a time for yoga, this was it.<br/><br/>But this was also time for a gun, a cell phone to call 911 and a big, strong boyfriend.<br/><br/>She had none of the above.