INSTINCTS

There comes a moment in everyone’s life which define who you really are! That decision you take in a split second .. Either you pick the fight or walk away from it .. Does such a decision define who you really are?

I didn’t Want to fight, I wanted to survive! Live to fight another day?

10 pm. A Wednesday night. I was on my way back from office. Walking from the bus stop enjoying the Cool breeze. Just then, a bike stopped in front of me couple of feet ahead. A guy got down, he marched closer to me and then out of nowhere slapped me and pushed me back. It wasn’t a tight slap, a low intensity just rubbing my cheeks. One look at him told me he was high either drunk or on drugs and was out of his normal senses.

Thick jacket. Skull cap. Tall. Skinny. Fair.

I thought I could take this guy on. but it all changed when he stepped back, his right hand went into his pocket. A thousand thoughts popped in my mind.

OH! is it a GUN? can’t be. This can’t be happening to me. OH Damn! that’s definitely a knife. Compact and easy on the pocket KNIFE. He is gonna stab me now .. He wasn’t alone, two more guys right behind him on a bike. I try reasoning with him asking him questions.

“Wait! who are you? do you know me?”

No answers from him but just curses hurled back.

“Don’t try to run.. stay silent.. don’t try to run..”

He takes one step forward and I take two steps back, back..trying to think of something. Nothing. There’s nothing on my mind. What do I do? Fight or walk away and survive. He jumps forward and grabs my neck. I wiggle out from his grip and fall back down hitting the road hard. Scrapping my elbows and leg. My Gold chain drops to the ground from my neck. His eyes follow the chain. I kick him. Kick him hard near the stomach. He stepped back from the blow. His eyes now searching for the chain.

I search for it too. My eyes trying to find the chain. Trying. Found it, a bit far off my right hand. I pushed myself up and went right to the chain, picked and stuffed into my jeans. He stares at me, heavy breathing, eyes widen. My thoughts run wild again. OK dude, it’s time to get stabbed. He’s snapped. He now rolls his tongue out and was marching towards me. Time to fight!

This was not in any remote lonely isolated place. This was on a busy street at 10 pm. Independent houses all around. I glanced at the houses to check if anyone is looking at all this. Eye witness in case of something goes wrong. A lady on 1st floor staring at us. Just then someone shouted. “I’ll call the police if you don’t leave now”.

He stopped in his tracks when he heard that, voice was firm and threatening. He looked around, scanning all the houses and slowly walked back. Still staring at me, hurling abuses. He got into the bike quickly, three guys stormed away into the darkness.

I Survived. For now. How safe are we?