Emma took a deep breath, her small chest expanding with courage beyond her years. Instead of running, she turned to face the man and called out in the brightest, friendliest voice she could muster, “Hello there! Are you looking for something?” Her voice echoed down the empty street, bouncing off the walls of the nearby buildings.
The man paused, clearly taken aback by her unexpected response. Emma’s heart pounded in her chest as she took a few small steps forward. She remembered her father’s advice about making noise but decided to add her own twist—make conversation. After all, if she could turn this into a friendly exchange, perhaps she could diffuse the situation.
Emma continued talking, her words tumbling out quickly as she tried to mask her fear with enthusiasm. “You know, my friend Sarah lives around here. We love playing hide and seek in this neighborhood. Do you have any kids who play hide and seek?”
