As he stood hidden behind the potato chip stand, he could hear the cashier moaning in agony as the robber ravaged the cash register. Surely, someone had heard the gunshot and had called police, but oddly, he didn’t hear any sirens. A few seconds later Julius realized that the robber was walking down the aisle next to where he was hiding to get a case of beer. He came so close to him that if he had taken one more step, Julius would’ve been discovered. Julius held his breath as he saw a familiar face from the neighborhood in the reflection of the freezer doors. He couldn’t move or breathe as he listened to his heartbeat get louder and louder. A second later he watched the man tuck the case of beer under his arm and exit out the front door. Only then did Julius allow himself to breathe. He knew he had to do something, so with trembling hands he opened his cell phone and dialed 911. “Nine-one-one. What is your emergency?” the operator said through the telephone. When Julius tried to speak, no words would come out, so he swallowed the lump in his throat and tried again.
