I Had a Bad Experience
There’s a part of the brain that automatically initiates a fight or flight response. The one response that many rarely speak about is freeze.
Flight
Fight
Freeze
Fight
Flight
Freeze
Well that night I froze.
The night began well. It was a normal routine to meet with my friends to release some steam. As my friend and I walked down the side walk a vehicle slowly drove towards us. We exchanged words but weren’t interested in the group of males that engaged with us. They made a U-turn and continued on their way. In the distance I could see my other friend walking towards us. The same car stopped parallel to him. The group of guys all maneuvered out of the car and began to surround him. I had seen the formation before. The routine unraveled all too well. Something bad was going to happen. My heart felt so heavy. My first instinct was to help him. I ran towards the group. As I ran toward him, he ran towards us. Two of the guys pulled out guns and started shooting. At the time, I had never heard something so loud.
Flight. Fight. Freeze.
It was as if everything slowed down. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Things were blurry. I stood there like a deer in headlights. In the corner of my eye I saw my friend, who was initially walking with me, go down. I thought, maybe I should get down too. The shots were so loud. I just wanted it to end.
I saw my friend go down because she had gotten shot. I still couldn’t comprehend what was going on. I pulled her shirt up and kept wiping the blood away as she kept bleeding out. I didn’t speak. I couldn’t speak. I just looked at her. I said a prayer in my head, please don’t die.
That night I froze...
Flight
Fight
Freeze
Fight
Flight
Freeze
Well that night I froze.
The night began well. It was a normal routine to meet with my friends to release some steam. As my friend and I walked down the side walk a vehicle slowly drove towards us. We exchanged words but weren’t interested in the group of males that engaged with us. They made a U-turn and continued on their way. In the distance I could see my other friend walking towards us. The same car stopped parallel to him. The group of guys all maneuvered out of the car and began to surround him. I had seen the formation before. The routine unraveled all too well. Something bad was going to happen. My heart felt so heavy. My first instinct was to help him. I ran towards the group. As I ran toward him, he ran towards us. Two of the guys pulled out guns and started shooting. At the time, I had never heard something so loud.
Flight. Fight. Freeze.
It was as if everything slowed down. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Things were blurry. I stood there like a deer in headlights. In the corner of my eye I saw my friend, who was initially walking with me, go down. I thought, maybe I should get down too. The shots were so loud. I just wanted it to end.
I saw my friend go down because she had gotten shot. I still couldn’t comprehend what was going on. I pulled her shirt up and kept wiping the blood away as she kept bleeding out. I didn’t speak. I couldn’t speak. I just looked at her. I said a prayer in my head, please don’t die.
That night I froze...
31-35, F
