May 14 2012 My Personal Experience 3

When people asked me what I thought about the word kidnapped, I used to say, “Nothing.”  However, in second grade, my opinion changed when I learned how dangerous the world was.

I recall my Friday basketball lessons with my friends. After an hour I asked my teacher for a break. Being kind, he gave me five minutes to get a drink of water. I was about to go by myself when my friend Sunny said she needed to get a drink, too. We both put our basketballs down and started walking towards the fountain.

Whenever we had to get water, students in our basketball class would go downstairs. If we were quick, this would take about two minutes. On the other hand, Sunny and I were tired and dehydrated so we went down the stairs very slowly without saying anything. After drinking about four cups of water, we headed back up towards the gym, being a little more energetic.

Sunny and I were talking about our next math test when we heard quiet footsteps. We turned around and faced a tall and skinny man, double my size, in a black suit, with long hair reaching his elbows and large earrings. We were staring back at him until he started to run towards us. Sunny then pushed me down, running towards the gym as fast as she could. I on the other hand, was still on the ground, trying to get up with all my might. The man got closer, trying to grab my left hand, when I felt someone grab my other hand. It was Sunny, who had come back downstairs to save me. She quickly started dragging me and shouting things I didn’t understand. The man probably gave up because I couldn’t see him when we arrived at the gym.

Our basketball teacher started yelling at us, asking why we hadn’t come back in five minutes. We tried to explain about the man who had been chasing us, but he wouldn’t believe us and put us under detention. Our friends starting asking us who the man was but we refused to tell them much and said that the world was a dangerous place.

When I think about this incident today, I wonder if the man was actually a kidnapper. People around me say that he was probably simply walking up the stairs. This story will remain stuck in my head.

Now, when others ask me what I think of the word kidnapped, I always reply “ Something people should be aware of and a situation we can escape with the help of friends.”