DURHAM, NC — Duke student is “traumatized” after attempting to flee from an attacker by bike, only to find themself atop a stationary BC plaza musical bicycle.
Ella Synder (Trinity ‘27) claims she was taking a sunset stroll in the gardens, with her hand trailing wistfully along the plants lining the path the evening of the incident. “I was lightly singing to myself, as my mother used to do before she perished when I was young, and everyone’s heads were turning toward me when I passed because my voice is very beautiful.”
After further backstory, Synder continued. “Night had fallen, and I bid farewell to the garden creatures before wrapping a shawl around my shoulders and going on my way,” the victim shuttered and cradled her arms. Synder described feeling that she was being watched but decided to concentrate her efforts on leaving the garden, saying “My stepmother would get very cross with me if I ever disobeyed. I just needed to leave so I wouldn’t violate the Duke Gardens’ visiting hours.”
Upon exiting the garden, however, Synder says she entered a “quick yet dainty” jog. “I glanced over my shoulder a couple of times, and all I could see in the darkness was a figure cloaked in black,” recounted Synder. Unable to see clearly, the escapee says she had to fling herself upon walls to “feel where she was” and that she started to call for help. To demonstrate, Synder began wailing during the interview “Help me, help me! Oh, won’t anybody help me!” while subtly glancing to see if any onlookers had gathered. She offered one more cry before giggling “Oh my, it appears everyone is watching.”
Finally, Snyder launched back into her story: “So, as I was saying, it was terribly dark out, and my hands finally found refuge on the handlebars of a bicycle, much like the one my father gave me before he, too, tragically passed.” Synder relays mounting the bicycle saying, “I pedaled ferociously, as I had to escape!” She then described a ‘mysterious, whimsical sound’ emanating from the bike.
“It made total sense to me – I’ve always felt as if I’ve had a soundtrack in my life, so why shouldn’t it seem as if I had a real one during my time of need?” the fleeing lady inquired. Synder eventually realized she was not making her envisioned escape because “My hair was not blowing in the wind as ferociously as it should have.” To make matters worse, she admits that as she was hurriedly dismounting the BC Plaza stationary bicycle, she saw her attacker walk past: A sad, overworked Pratt student walking with their head down into the Bryan Center, the only building open for students to study at that hour.
“It was super embarrassing – Thankfully it was only a Pratt student who saw me riding that thing,” Synder says while brushing her long, blonde hair. “The real tragedy though,” she continues “is I lost one of my new light blue Sambas in the process. I hope some Ad Phi guy can get it back to me.”
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