Ditch the Chopper

I fear for the body, but the only thing I can focus on protecting is the mind.

Baltimore Body Count

Four murders in 3 weeks, in the safest district of Baltimore. In my district. Only counting those in my district. The fear is that this isn't just gang activity, it's not just about drugs. Something is happening.
"Unprecedented!", they declare.
"I can't remember a time...", the police commissioner mumbles.
They excuse it by simply stating, "The weather is warming up." It is a universal truth, just geographically misplaced. Sure, the murders always spike, but they never spike here. We rallied. We walked the blocks with clergy and angels, cameras and politicians; but we didn't even stop at the spot where the 22-year-old was shot the week before. In broad daylight, it was 2 pm. It was 3 pm now, and seven days later, and it was great. There were neon green shirts and hot dogs for anyone who would have them. Then we went home.

When I went back the next week, it wasn't the same. I was alone and it was dark by the time I left my meeting. I had to walk several blocks back to my car when it happened--
Suddenly, I couldn't breath, I couldn't think of anything except that I was going to be shot. Cars roared through the alley next to me and I walked with my hand covering my heart. I was holding on to my scarf as a guise, but really, I was protecting my heart in case they had perfect aim. It was only the second anxiety attack I've had here, which, given everything that has happened in the past 6 months, is pretty impressive.

But when I got home and visions of gunshot wounds, blue lights and spiking line graphs receded I saw something else that made my heart jump to my throat:
He was on the news. He was discussing politics, or business, or something. He was being asked questions and he even had a fancy tag with his name below him, but all I could see was "rapist". The man who tried to rape me is gaining prestige in our nation's capital and all I can think is,
Ok, fine. Keep me right here, where the bodies are cold but I know what I'm up against.
The progression and life that I've made can be taken by a hypothetical bullet, or definitively decimated by another chance encounter.

I fear for the mind, so I'll chance it with the body.