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I heard a noise outside the door, and I froze. Was it the secret police, come to arrest me for treason? Was it a mob of angry white men, come to rape and beat me for being a woman? Was it a pack of wild dogs, come to eat me for being a human? I didn't know, and I didn't want to find out. I hid under the counter, trembling and sweating, and I prayed to a god that I didn't believe in that they would go away and leave me alone. I held my breath and waited.
“Hello?” A voice called from the other side of the door. “Anyone here? We’re looking for shelter.”
I couldn't tell if the voice was male, female, or non-binary. It sounded like it was speaking through a mask, or a filter. I didn't know if I should answer, or if I should stay quiet, and hope that they would think the cafe was closed, and go away. I didn't know who they were, or what they wanted, or how many they were, or if they were armed.
“Please,” the voice said, "We have a pregnant woman with us, and she's in labor. We need a safe place to abort the baby before the government finds her."
