When the stairwell became a trap and a stranger became my only escape

realized the cage was closing. The air in the narrow space felt suddenly thin and cold, as if the building itself had tightened around us. I tried to push past him, but he shifted his weight, effectively pinning me against the cold brick wall with a subtle movement that felt practiced, controlled. I yelled, “LEAVE ME ALONE,” but he wouldn’t move, his continue reading …