Gamma Rantings...

•Tuesday, March 18, 2008•

TRAPPED: An experience of being an accidental HOSTAGE....

Its been ages since I posted here...too lazy...

Yet, somehow I feel that I should post this up...really dramatic, scary, and got me thinking about all my family and friends and what if I didn't get back safely to see everyone again...

I NARROWLY ESCAPED BECOMING A VICTIM IN A MAMAK STALL BRAWL!!!

We had a horrendous maths test, and having stayed back in school until 10pm, Swee Kee, Ying Hui and I decided to head to the nearby Al-Rafi Bistro to get some supper.

The Bistro was jam-packed with people when I got there. Mang Yik was there as well, with her classmates. Hoping for a quieter environment, the three of us entered the so-called "VIP room", ordered some roti canai, and simply sat there; chatting and enjoying the quiet atmosphere (there were only 3 of us in there).

However, after half an hour of waiting for our non-appearing food, we began to get impatient. There was some racket from outside, but I brushed it off nonchalently as probably being some over-excited football fans.

Imagine our shock when suddenly, the waiter burst in and forced the glass door shut. I was still kinda blur, absent-mindedly connecting the waiter uniform and some scrumptious roti-canai. Therefore, it took a while for the sight to sink in.

1. The waiter was TERRIFIED
2. The shop (from our limited point of view) was in CHAOS

And the most terrifying one of all...

3. THERE WAS A MAN HEAVING A CHAIR AT THE GLASS DOOR!!!

Omg, I SWEAR I could see the chair shatter against the glass door; the shards and splinters flying everywhere. And it wasn't just chairs; there were glasses, cutlery, and seemingly, everything that wasn't nailed down in the shop.

For a fragment of a second, I was STUNNED. In fact, my mind registered it as some roughhousing, and not an all-out rampage. The projectiles, the sight of running figures, the loud, furious bellows, and worst of all, the men who were rampaging there, with that crazed look in their eyes...I REALLY COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT I WAS CAUGHT IN THEIR MIDST.

The three of us bolted from our chairs, instinctively turning towards the glass panes that led to the walkway. I mean, the wisest thing to do in a situation like this is RUN, right?

Right. The only flaw, was that THERE WAS NO DOOR!!!

IN OTHER WORDS, WE WERE TRAPPED!!!

Man, I'm still searching for the words to describe how I felt at that particular moment. We dashed to the glass panes, searching in vain for a way out or a place to hide. No such luck, as there were no secluded corners, no solid furniture, and the glass panes were way too tough to break.

It hit me that there was no way out. That became the main focus of my mind. We were trapped in this enclosed room with the man those gangsters were so intent at getting at, who could tell what would happen to us once that door gave way? The sight of those crazed, enraged people, their sticks and parangs, and the force with which they were hurling items were mere hints as too what would happen if they came thundering through that door. For a moment, I pictured chairs, tables and glassware flying everywhere...man, we would be badly injured even if we got out of the place alive!!!

Fear is a powerful force. Couple it with sheer shock, and you find yourself propelled into something different through the adrenaline that's coursing through your body. I really can't describe how I truly felt at that point of time, but all I recall is feeling like I'm not myself...a different person...it was as if I was watching myself act in some action thriller, but I wasn't really there.....

We were petrified for several moments; our eyes scanning desperately for an outlet, a hiding place, anything, while darting back anxiously to the thugs thrashing the place. Suddenly, I saw the toilet sign and yelled, "TOILET!! GET TO THE TOILET!!"

The waiter heard it as well, and all of us (Swee Kee, Ying Hui and I, along with the waiter and another malay lady) squashed into the two cubicle toilet. I pushed the lock shut and leaned my weight against the door, praying fervently that the guys wouldn't come and kick the admittedly flimsy toilet door off its hinges. If they did that, why, we would all be sitting ducks...

Mere moments later, we heard a voice outside. It was the friend/boyfriend/husband of the malay lady, telling us to get out quickly. Relieved but shaken, we grabbed out stuff and filed out of our air-conditioned prison throughout the encounter.

The shop was in a mess. The chairs and tables were overturned. Shattered glass was strewn amongst the mess of green ais kacang, and the cashier's display counter was entirely thrashed. We did not give much thought to observation, as people were still in a havoc.

Upon leaving the shop, we saw a man writhing on the ground in obvious pain. His head was bleeding profusely. We found out later on that he was struck down, before being hit ON THE HEAD with a motorbike. I've never witnessed such a bad situation before...the poor guy was in so much pain...

Not daring to stay and look, we returned to a very aroused Akasia. Many of the students who were there in the shop were badly shaken. We were the last to return, and many who heard our tale of being trapped felt that our experience was duly terrifying...we were indeed lucky to return...

Until now, I'm still very unclear of the cause of the brawl. Some say it was due to racism, some due to payment issues, etc etc etc. All the same, I find the commotion utterly uncalled for. For some petty matter, the night was permanantly ruined for so many people, both mentally and physically.

For me, it was an unforgettable experience. It was the very first time I experienced a Hollywood-worthy action scene; being accidentally held hostage in a claustrophobic hell of a room, unable to run nor hide from the reality of the sticks and parangs brandished outside. The notion that you're trapped, facing danger and possible death in the eye...this was something you saw in action thrillers not something that happened in real life...at least that was what I thought...

I'm proud of myself and my friends, though. No one cried, fainted; in fact, we all were maintained our sanity through it all. I now see both of them; Swee Kee and Ying Hui in a new light; new friends, yes, but bonded by trauma...I'm glad I had both of them there. If it was just me, I wonder how much more terrified I would be...Personally, I'm also glad that I'm answerable to myself; that in the face of danger, I spared much thought for my friends' safety, not just my own. I know this sounds dumb, but I would be consumed by guilt now if I knew that during that moment, I thought only for myself. Ignore this..its personal principle of mine that one should never abandon (even mentally) his/her friend in times of trouble, and I'm glad that I've proved to myself that I can stick to it...

As we trudged back, I couldn't help but realise how close we came to not returning safely tonight........The idea is playing in all our minds endlessly; WHAT IF WE DIED TONIGHT?

*********************************

Edit: 19/3/2008

Lee Kuan and the others immediately demanded a full recount of the incident today. Obligingly, I told the story, before settling in for yet another boring day of class.

Suddenly during Physics, yells filled the air, emanated by a boisterous bunch of students that were thrilled that class was over. Normal, yes, but when I heard the sound, a vivid image flashed into my mind. In my mind's eye, I could clearly see the man in the dark clothes heaving the chair at us, that crazed look in his eye, the splinters and shards flying...

The image was so sudden and vivid that I spun around instinctively to look at the friend whom I lived through the ordeal with, Swee Kee. She too had that shocked look on her face and was already staring at me. I knew there and then that the yells had also triggered that same reaction in her...a scar from yesterdays trauma that will probably last for a while...

*********************************

Al-Rafi Bistro seemed very normal today. Everything seemed in order, its a marvel how they managed to clean everything up.

We merely got strains of what happened. Apparently, it had something to do with a group of gangsters that refused to pay the bill for several days. When the manager demanded payment, they thrashed the place and bashed him up. The victim, whose head was hit by the motorbike was none other than the manager. From what we heard, the gangsters even stomped on his head after they hit him. He's in a critical condition, but otherwise ok...

Swee Kee and I were like zombies in class today. We were up until 4 something yesterday; the day's excitement drawn to a close with yet another cat-ching excursion, before we hung around in Swee Kee's place blogging.

*********************************

If you guys want a concise, Mandarin version, you can read Swee Kee's blog post on the case.

Labels: Trapped in gangster attack

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 7 comments

7 Comments:

Shu Ning,it was so scary..Oh my gosh...Luckily u managed to ran away from tat place........Thank Buddha tat u r safe,luv u.......

By Lixian, at March 21, 2008 at 5:23 PM

Hello. This post is likeable, and your blog is very interesting, congratulations :-). I will add in my blogroll =). If possible gives a last there on my blog, it is about the Impressora e Multifuncional, I hope you enjoy. The address is http://impressora-multifuncional.blogspot.com. A hug.

By Anonymous, at March 23, 2008 at 2:55 AM

yeah, it was scary..Don't worry..I'm fine..Love ya too...=)

By Shu, at March 24, 2008 at 11:51 PM

My goodness... that's really scary. glad that u r cool at that moment. mature already...
Shu,next time be cautious anytime and anywhere. nowaday, the world is getting crazy now.take care.
-ming chu-

By CoOl AnGel, at April 1, 2008 at 8:32 PM

Cool angle? wat a cool name...hehe...

By Lixian, at April 3, 2008 at 9:37 PM

Lol...Cool Angel...

Yeah, will remember your advice...all of you guys must also be careful o...this can happen anywhere...take care, everyone...

Until today I am still very very very jumpy when I see any suspicious guys around the area...

By Shu, at April 5, 2008 at 6:46 PM

Shu,mayb u shud call urself hot angle indeed..Haha...
Well,thanks for ur advice..It's very true tat v must b aware of d danger around us.N i must learn much on this

By Lixian, at April 12, 2008 at 3:09 PM

2 Comments:

Cool,first time seeing Long posting a blog le..Ming Chu,dun stress dun stress.Take a deep breath n continue gambate!!!LEt us jia you together!!!

By Lixian, at March 9, 2008 at 11:46 AM

You are forgiven...

Lol...kidding la...hehe...

Aih, mine also very stress...got assignments and research for every subject...test test test non stop...every day study until gonna pengsan d..

Ah well, good luck...to you and to everyone...

PS: I'm posting here in hostel, when I'm supposed to be doing bio research...so lazy of me...lol...=P

By Shu, at March 14, 2008 at 12:03 AM