almost got kidnapped in high school and I still think about it

I wasn't going to post this but honestly it still messes with me years later so here we go.

So this was high school. After evening self-study¹ ended I was walking home, school to my house was like a 15 minute walk. Now Masan² has these insane amounts of alleyways, like the city is basically made of them, and there's always two options: the sketchy shortcut through the alleys where nobody goes, or the long way on the main road where actual humans exist.

I was normally a coward about it. Always took the busy road. But that night I wanted to get home fast and for some reason the streetlights in that empty alley looked... kind of pretty? Almost mysterious? I don't know. Something just told me to go that way. I went.

And yeah, obviously, not a soul around. Just me and a row of streetlights and the sound of my own footsteps. Felt weird but fine.

Then.

I got this feeling. Like someone was behind me.

I turned around and there's this guy. Bucket hat, probably 177-180cm, older dude. And I swear to god the second I saw him something in my BODY just went "you're cooked." Not a thought, not logic. Pure animal instinct. Every single hair stood up and I just KNEW.

I sped up. Not running yet, that awkward fast-walk thing. Looked back.

He sped up too.

I screamed and RAN. Full sprint. My high school nickname was literally Walcott³ because I was fast and I have never in my life run like that. I finally understood what a gazelle feels like seeing a lion. That's not a metaphor. That is the exact feeling.

I found a car parked outside some villa in the alley and dove under it. Completely flat. Covering my mouth trying to muffle my breathing. Didn't even turn my phone on because I was scared the screen light would leak out. Just lying there going "fuck fuck fuck fuck" on repeat in my head.

The guy was older so he was slower, thank god. But I heard his footsteps get close. Then I heard him go "AH FUCK!!!" and get on the phone with someone. I could hear him saying stuff like "almost had him, little bastard's fast, where the hell did he go."

I saw a brick next to me and for like two seconds I genuinely considered crawling out and braining him with it. Decided that was maybe not the move. Stayed under the car.

That 10 minutes was the longest 10 minutes of my entire life. I am not exaggerating.

When I couldn't hear him anymore I called my mom, gave her my location, told her to come get me in the car. She came. I got in.

At home I was just rambling, completely incoherent. She thought I was joking at first. Then she saw my uniform was filthy from being under a car and I was half dissociated and talking nonsense and she got really serious really fast.

That was like 6 or 7 years ago. I still go back to Masan sometimes and every time I see that alley. every single time.

fuck that street man.