The night is not what scares her, it's the darkness it carries.

A gust of ice wind seeps through her jacket and into her bones, but that's not what causes her to shiver. A tightness grips her heart. She had a few glasses of red at dinner, nothing over the top. Her boss had offered to drive her home, the warmth of his hand searing into the small of her back, hovering over the dip of her jeans. She declined.

Her friends had told her to get an uber, but she'd spent what little money she had left on this outing, and none of them lived as far as she did. She was accustomed to Perth's public transport, she knew her way around well enough, she'd be fine, she assured them. Her internal assurance wasn't quite as confident. She walks the almost empty street, the sound of loud music coming from somewhere nearby thuds in time with her heartbeat. She eyes a homeless man sitting on the outdoor stoop of the McDonalds' the only place still buzzing at this time of night. He grunts at her, and she jumps, despite knowing it was coming.

A glance across the street, she notes a couple milling around the Wesley Uniting Church; arms entangled. The woman's hair is a mess, there is a stain in the centre of her silk blouse, and her eyes are heavy. The woman is using him as a tool to keep upright, his arms snake around her abdomen and he whispers in her ear. Her insides twist. Society would tell her it was her duty to check on the welfare of another woman. Society would also tell her not to put herself in harm's way. A taxi pulls up beside them and he helps the woman in. She pushes the guilt aside and keeps going.

She brushes past two men coming out of a bar. She says excuse me. Always be polite, don't antagonise. The men don't speak but they grin. She feels hot, she feels their gaze on her back. ‘Where are you going?' One of them croones, the other chuckles.'Let us buy you a drink.' Heat turns to sweat, her heart rate that of an athlete after a marathon. Laughter pierces the air, she struggles to gain composure. Left or right? She can't remember, her nervous system has switched to flight, her senses are amplified, her brain is fogged. She quickens her pace, trying to ignore the pain of her work heels digging into the soles of her feet. She'll have blisters in the morning. Faster. Find an open store, hail a taxi, get away. She turns the corner, relief of the main road floods her, and the laughter dies behind her.

She doesn't take a beat to catch her breath. She crosses the road to the train station, head down, avoiding the eyes of the late night stragglers, the loud drunks, the addicted few, loitering at the dimly lit entrance of her ride home. She scans her surroundings with the eagle-eye precision, just as she was taught. No guards, closed stores and twenty minutes until boarding. Unease sits in her stomach and she feels queasy, anxiety running rampant through her ribcage. She reaches inside her bag and grabs hold of the pepper spray; reassurance.

Then she sees her. A stab of pain hits her as she takes in the mirrored image.

The woman was clutching tightly to her purse strung over her shoulder, trying with no luck to pull down the short, sequin dress that encased her body. She stood on the escalator, legs pressed together, arms by her side. Her eyes scanned the station, no guards, closed stores and fifteen minutes until boarding. Whistles and slurs cut through the quiet, and startle her. They lock eyes, then. She expels a visible breath at the sight. She sits down on the empty seat, they acknowledge the other with a sincere smile, but they don't speak. Words are not needed, for there is a knowing, a sense of safety, of camaraderie, of shared experiences, an intimate knowledge of what is accepted. Society tells them not to wear that dress, but she is wearing jeans. Society would tell them not to walk home alone, but she has been assaulted by a driver. Society would tell them to be nice, but she was stalked because she was nice. Society would say ‘not all men', but she would say enough men.

The engine screeches and they stand; a final glance of understanding is all that's needed. Two strangers, who will never meet again, forever bonded by a knowing, an experience, a truth. As the train doors close, she silently wills that bond to women everywhere, a psychological promise of understanding and unity. May they know it. May they seek it. May it guide them safely home.