The shop assistant suddenly grabbed my arm and whispered urgently, «Get out of here, quick!»
«I can’t take it anymore! Three years, Vera, three years of listening to his drunken ramblings under my window!» Antonia’s voice trembled with frustration. «The local bobby just shrugs. Says he cant do anything until that drunkard actually hurts someone!»
«Now, Antonia, you’re exaggerating,» Vera adjusted her glasses and gave her neighbour a sympathetic look. «Nicholas is just a troubled man. Hes never been the same since his wife passed.»
«Troubled?» Antonia threw up her hands. «And what about the rest of us? My Tanyas struggling in Sheffield with two kids on her own, youve got your blood pressure to worry about, but we dont go drinking and shouting under peoples windows at three in the morning!»
Sophia, who had been listening quietly, sighed. Every time the women met in their old five-storey blocks courtyard, the conversation always turned to Nicholass latest antics. Todays tea gathering was no different.
«Lets talk about something else,» she suggested, pouring tea. «Its a lovely day, the first properly warm one this spring.»
«Youre right,» Vera agreed gratefully, accepting the cup. «Always the voice of reason, Sophia. Hows young Paul? Any news?»
«Same as always,» Sophia smiled. «Called from London yesterdaysaid hes finishing up an important project. Promises to visit over the bank holiday.»
«Well, thats nice,» Antonia nodded, calming slightly. «You shouldnt be on your own so much at your age. All that dust in the library cant be good…»
«Oh, stop it, Toni,» Sophia waved her off. «Im only sixty-twohardly ancient. Besides, I love that library. Its my life. And as for being alone…» She gazed into the distance. «Ive grown used to it. Its been fifteen years since Stephen died.»
The conversation drifted to safer topicsrising prices, health, children, and grandchildren. When the teapot ran dry, Sophia checked her watch.
«Oh dear, I should go! I wanted to pop into the Spar before dinner. Theyve got proper rolled oats in, still at the old price.»
«Go on, then,» Vera urged. «Just dont stay out too lateits dodgy round here after dark. The constable mentioned some gangs been causing trouble.»
«Dont scare her,» Antonia cut in. «Sophias got more sense than to wander about in the dark.»
After saying her goodbyes, Sophia headed home to change. Their neighbourhood wasnt the safestjust rows of ageing flats on the edge of a small town, dimly lit streetsbut in daylight, it was fine. The Spar was barely five minutes away.
Switching to comfier shoes and grabbing her shopping trolley, Sophia stepped outside. The spring sun was warm, the first green shoots peeking through in the flowerbeds. «The lilacs will bloom soon,» she thought, remembering how shed loved their scent as a girl.
The Spar was the sort of old-fashioned corner shop where the staff knew every customer by name. Sophia visited nearly every day after workbread one day, milk the next, oats today.
The bell jingled as she entered. The shop was quietjust an elderly man at the deli counter and a young mum with a toddler by the sweets.
«Afternoon, Margaret,» Sophia greeted the plump, fifty-something shopkeeper. «Heard youve got the good oats in?»
«Hello, Sophia!» Margaret smiled. «Aye, just stocked them. Aisle three, bottom shelf.»
Sophia nodded and headed over. Sure enough, neat packets sat at a decent price. She dropped two into her basket, then browsed for other bits.
As she wandered the aisles, she noticed the shops atmosphere shift. Margaret, usually chatty, fell silent mid-sentence with the elderly man. Her face paled, eyes darting nervously.
The bell jingled again. Two men walked inone tall and gaunt, a cap pulled low; the other shorter, face unnervingly blank, lingering by the door like a guard.
Sophia barely glanced at them. Shoppers came and went. She lingered by the tinned goods, debating whether to grab pilchards in tomato saucePaul liked those.
Then she felt someone far too close. Turning, she found Margaret beside her, white as a sheet.
«Find everything alright?» Margaret asked, oddly loud, then grabbed Sophias wrist and hissed in her ear, «Run. Now. Through the stockroomout the back. Those blokes robbed the Co-op down the road yesterday. Two women ended up in hospital.»
Sophia froze. «Nonsense!» she thought. «Broad daylight? In our little Spar?» But Margarets terrified eyes convinced her.
«No, thank you, Im fine,» Sophia replied loudly, then whispered, «What about you? The others?»
«Ive hit the panic button,» Margaret breathed. «But the policell take ages. Gothey havent spotted you. The mum and kid should be safe. Just go!»
With a nudge, she steered Sophia toward a staff-only door.
Heart pounding, Sophia slipped through, praying the men didnt notice. The stockroom was cramped, stacked with boxes. «Maybe its a mistake?» she wondered. But instinct screamed, «Move!»
As she edged toward the back exit, a loud bang rang outthen a scream. Hands shaking, she shoved open the peeling door and stumbled into the alley, gulping fresh air.
What now? Home? But what if they saw her? Call the police? Her phone was in her trolleystill by the till!
Then she remembered: the community police post two streets over. Constable Tom would be there.
Half-running, she reached the post just as Toma burly, weary-looking manstepped out, locking up.
«Tom!» she gasped. «The Sparits being robbed! Margaret hit the alarm, but»
His face darkened. «When?»
«Just now! Margaret got me out the back. Two menone tall in a cap, the other younger, odd-looking…»
Tom snatched his radio. «All units, code zero! Armed robbery at the Spar on Mill Road. Immediate response needed!»
He turned back. «Stay here. Dont move.» Then he jogged off, surprisingly fast for his size.
Alone, Sophia slumped onto a bench. Her legs shook. «Was that a gunshot? What about Margaret? The mum? The old man?»
Sirens wailed. Two police vans sped past. Time crawled.
Finally, Tom returned, grim but calm.
«Well?» Sophia rushed to him.
«All fine,» he said. «Got em. One inside, the other halfway down the high street.»
«That noise I heard»
«Gas pistol,» Tom confirmed. «Fired at the ceiling to scare folks. Margaret kept her head. You did right coming straight here.»
«Margaretshes okay?»
«Shaken, but fine. Giving her statement now. Hereyour trolley.» He handed it over.
Everything was insidepurse, keys, phone.
At the station, Sophia recounted everything. Talking steadied her, as if reliving it safely made it smaller.
«Who were they?» she asked afterward.
«Same pair who hit the Co-op,» Tom said. «Third shop this week. Brazen as you likebroad daylight, waving guns. Last time, the clerk fought back, got a cracked skull for it.»
«Good Lord,» Sophia murmured. «And I thought our town was quiet.»
«Times changing,» Tom sighed. «But thanks to you and Margaret, theyre done for now.»
He walked her home. At the flats, Antonia rushed over.
«Sophia! I saw the police speeding to the Sparwhat happened?»
«All sorted,» Tom said. «Robbers caught, no one hurt. And your neighbours a herohelped nab em.»
«Hardly,» Sophia flushed. «Margarets the hero. If not for her…»
Home at last, Sophia brewed strong tea with honey, sipping it with trembling hands. The day felt surreallike itd happened to someone else. A mild-mannered librarian, widow, mothersuddenly in the middle of a crime drama!
That evening, Paul called. As usual, he asked after her health, her work, chatted about his own. She didnt mention the robberyno need to worry him. But when he mentioned the bank holiday, she surprised herself.
«Paul… maybe you could come down? Its been ages. AndI think I need to get out more. Stuck in my routineswork, home, the shops. Its not good.»
«Course Ill come, Mum,» he said, puzzled. «You alright? You sound… different.»
«Just realising something,» she smiled, watching the evening lights. «Lifes unpredictable, love. You never know whats round the corner. Today youre buying oats, tomorrow… well, anything could happen.»
Next morning, Sophia returned to the Spar. Business as usual, except for a new security guard by the till.
Margaret spotted her and rushed over, hugging her tight.
«Thank you! Who knows how itd have ended if you hadnt…»
«Me?» Sophia blinked. «You saved us all!»
«Ah, rubbish,» Margaret waved it off. «Just did my bit. Nowthose oats still need paying for. Want em?»
«Please,» Sophia smiled. «And some biscuits. Pauls coming for the holiday.»
Life settled back into its rhythmyet something had shifted. Maybe it was the new steadiness in Sophias step. Or the quiet thrill of knowing even ordinary days could hold surprises. Or simply this: how precious the calm moments are, when a single whispered warning»Get out of here, quick!»can change everything.
