I worked in a mall for a while and one day on my lunch break I was walking along when heard a lady talking to someone in a tone that sent shivers down my spine.

There was such disgust, venom, seething hatred in her voice that it shocked me and I turned to see that it was directed at a child. Like a small child 5 or 6 years old. I immediately bristled to this and then she smacked the kid in the mouth and it triggered something in me.

I became a literal crazy person in that moment. It's the only time it has happened to me in my entire life and I wonder if it's what people refer to as "blacking out" because I got tunnel vision and my mind went completely numb/blank. I screamed "HEY!" at the lady at the top of my lungs without even realising it was coming from me. My own scream actually startled me out of whatever that split second moment of insanity was. I just stared at the lady without speaking or moving as everyones attention turned to us.

I don't know if she was scared or embarrassed but she lowered her head and quickly walked off with the kid.

I wish I knew what to do in that situation- the kid was obviously being abused. If this person (parent? guardian?) was speaking and acting this way with the kid in public I can only imagine what is happening at home. It broke my heart to see them just quickly disappear into the crowd of people. I hope that kid is okay.