Speeding down Plainfield Avenue, I picked up my cell phone to check the time. The screen lit up 11:11 PM, which meant I had only nineteen minutes to get home before my curfew was up. Just then, my car started to sputter, backfired a few times, and came to a halt. I turned the key once-twice-but the car would not start back up. Now, I was stranded on an empty road in the middle of Plainfield.
As I picked up my cell phone to call AAA, my cell phone’s LCD screen read “low battery” and shut down. I threw my phone down angrily on the passenger seat and slammed my hands down on the steering wheel. Without a car and phone, I would never make it home in time; my only option was to walk to Joy’s house, which was a few blocks away. At the time it seemed like a good idea, but as I began walking, I remembered how Joy warned me that Plainfield was the Bloods’ territory and anyone would be lucky to survive five minutes on the street. Needless to say I disregarded her advice and kept on walking.
Ten minutes later, I was a block from Joy’s and still safe from danger. As I wondered the deserted streets, filled with silence and dimly lit, eerie shadows were cast on the streets and I began to feel like I was not alone. I heard nothing except the loud tapping of my own footsteps; I paused for a moment looking and listening to what was around me and began walking again.
As I walked, I began to notice that the sound of my footsteps had grown louder than before. Once again I paused, I swore I heard a gun shot; I ducked down as fast as I could covering my head. I slowly raised my head only to see a door swinging in the breeze. Reassuring myself that it was just my imagination, I began walking again, but as I passed by a parked car, I glanced into the mirror and saw two men lurking in the shadows. Gasping for breath, I knew I had to reach Joy’s house immediately.
I tried to walk normally, but my strides grew bigger and I started to pace myself more quickly than before. As soon as I turned the corner of Joy’s street, I started running as fast as I could. I looked behind me for only a moment and saw the two men chasing after me. The street seemed to never end, but as the house came into view, I sprinted until I reached the front door.
Struggling for breath and trying to get back my voice, I pounded on the door. A very weak cry for help came out, but as the men gained on me I screamed for Joy to answer the door. No one answered me, so I ran down the driveway and into the garage. Inside I closed the door quietly and ran to the back of the room, hiding myself behind a tall, cardboard box. My heart was pounding rapidly and my body was shaking in fear. Moments later, I heard footsteps walking slowly up the driveway. I was sure they could hear my heart beating, but I held my breath trying not to make the slightest sound.
“She’s in here,” I heard one man say.
The garage door was now slowly being lifted up; the only thing visible to me was the man’s shoes. As the door was raised higher and higher, I closed my eyes tightly hoping my stalkers wouldn’t see me. I heard a click; I could only imagine it was a gun, until a beam of light shone throughout the garage. The light came closer to me until it was staring me in the face. I thought my life was over, until I noticed the man in front of me was a cop.
Reaching down he offered me his hand and said, “You’re a very lucky girl that we came by when we did. We were driving past the street and saw those two men chasing you. We caught them; it turns out they were new members of the Bloods trying to finish their initiation. Their mission was to kill you tonight and they nearly succeeded, but don’t worry everything is alright now and they won’t be bothering you anymore.”
For a minute I stood there in silence, but when I came to my senses I thanked him greatly for saving my life and explained to him my situation. He gave me his phone to call AAA and escorted me back to my car where we waited for the car service to come. Unfortunately, I got in after my curfew, but that’s another story.