Free False Security by Angie Martin Page A

back of Mark’s truck bed behind the bookstore,
waiting for Mark to finish closing up for the night. She had arrived early,
hoping to get a few peaceful moments to herself.
    Instead, James found her sitting
outside and lured her into a one-sided conversation. Rachel had welcomed the
opportunity to get to know James better, as he was Mark’s closest friend.
James, however, seemed to enjoy the chance to grill her on her ability to
defend herself. From his excited questions, she got the impression he had been
waiting a long time to bring up the topic.
    James stood in front of her, his
eyes challenging her. “You can’t name any, can you?” he said, continuing the
debate he started when she arrived ten minutes earlier. “See, those
self-defense classes don’t work in real life. In the movies, maybe, but not in
real life.”
    Mark came through the backdoor
of the bookstore, saving her from having to choose a patient response. “You
guys should have come in,” he said.
    “That’s okay,” Rachel said,
hopping off the truck bed. “We kept ourselves entertained.”
    James grunted in agreement.
    “Weren’t you going home?” Mark
asked James.
    “I was, but then Rachel walked
up as I was leaving. We were having a discussion.”
    Rachel glared at him. “More like
a disagreement.”
    Mark laughed. “I’m not sure I
want to know, but tell me anyway.”
    “I don’t get how a little girl
like Rachel is supposed to defend herself against an attacker,” James said.
    “Little girl?” Rachel said. “I
thought you said you didn’t want to offend me.”
    “Well, you’re what? Five feet
tall and 90 pounds?”
    “You’re way off in your guessing
skills,” Rachel said.
    James ignored her remarks. “So
what if a guy was three times as big as you?” he asked, turning to face her.
“How could you defend yourself?”
    “If a man was triple my size,
I’m inclined to think he couldn’t run faster than me.”
    “I don’t think those
self-defense classes are any good. They teach a girl to fight back when there’s
no way she can win. She’ll get herself hurt even more.”
    “Oh, really?” Rachel smirked and
pointed to the grass between the parking lot and the street. “Why don’t we go
over there and I’ll show you how it works.”
    “Oh no. There’s no way I’m going
to fight you.”
    “Why not?”
    “I’m like a hundred and eighty
pounds heavier and twelve inches taller than you. I don’t want to hurt you.”
    “Again, a massive exaggeration.
But don’t worry, you won’t hurt me. If you accidentally do, I won’t hold it
against you.”
    “I’ll hold it against him,” Mark
said.
    “Mark won’t hold it against you,
either,” Rachel said.
    “It doesn’t seem right,” James
said. “I’d feel bad if I hurt you.”
    “Then let’s make it
interesting,” Rachel said, grinning. “Say, a hundred dollars.”
    His eyes widened. “A bet?”
    “Sure.”
    “A hundred dollars is a lot of
money.”
    “That’s what you get if you
win.”
    “And what do you get?”
    “An apology.” She smiled before
adding, “And the knowledge of your utter humiliation because you were taken
down by a ‘little girl.’”
    James extended his hand and they
shook on it. “I sure could use a hundred dollars,” he said. He strolled onto
the grass.
    “Rachel,” Mark said, “this is
crazy.”
    “No, he’s crazy, and he needs to
learn,” she said. She moved onto the grass until she stood about five feet in
front of James. She spread her feet into a comfortable stance and bent her
knees to center herself in preparation for his attack.
    “Okay,” James said. “What should
I do?”
    “Attack me.”
    “Man, I wish more women would
say that to me.”
    “James,” Mark warned.
    James looked at Mark. “Sorry,
but she’s the one who said it.” He turned back to Rachel. “How do I attack
you?”
    “Do you think if a man is going
to attack a woman in an alley at night, he’s going to ask her how to do