a night to remember a time to forget thepark tales of abuse
So there I was, hanging out with my mates, just having a bit of banter and discussion as the sun grew late in the sky. We considered for a bit heading down to the local pub but decided that perhaps it would be better to just grab a couple six packs (we all drank different stuff and well, cheaper?) and just chill out down in the garage with the half sized pool table.
Grabbing the wallet and anything else we needed, decided to take a shortcut across the park, it's always good to get where you are going in a hurry and there was a nice bit of water to walk beside instead of the road and all the stinky cars running along the asphalt. Bad idea.
Sitting there at the little gazebos was a few guys and girls, eyes flicked over them as we approached counting at least 15-20 at first glance, but I'm not one to stare and didn't want any trouble so just tried to ignore and head on my way. But when I looked to my right at my two buddies I noticed one of them just straight up staring at them, probably looking over the girls, Carlos was a bit of a lecher like that.
I heard a noise from the left again, always had good awareness like that, I guess it comes from the years of people ragging on me, pays to know where the next threat was coming from, and moving my attention back towards I noticed a few of the lads eyeballing right back.. that's when the words dropped. "Oi.. Wotcha looking at?"
I knew we didn't have a snowballs chance in hell against such odds, they looked to be in their late to mid thirties and well, we were only a couple of 20 year old youths. So I picked up the pace and hissed to my friends, "we should probs get going" at which point the other group started to call after us.. "Oi fellas, we just wanna talk, come on back here".
"Yeah they don't want to talk" I growled again, getting rather panicked now at my friends lack of give-a-shit. As I could hear the guys behind us starting to follow on, "We should run", they did nothing, just casually kept walking, hell, if anything, I swear Carlos was swaggering a bit maybe even slowing down.
Adam-ski on the other hand, well, he was looking mighty worried, he always had a bit of a soft streak in him and so I wasn't too sure if push came to shove he'd stand the test that was soon to come. So I urged them to move on faster but this momentary lapse in awareness cost me.. dearly.
Heard the pounding footsteps just as stars exploded in my sight, and suddenly the world tipped sideways. I felt rather than saw the ground coming and barely had enough time to wrap my arms up, protecting myself from the fall.
Curling into a ball now I felt the blows starting to rain down, first punches on my exposed areas and when they got tired of leaning over I guess some started to lay the boot in, I tried to move away but two or three of the good old boys knelt down on my legs and back and held me still while they kicked repeatedly in the face.
After I time I guess they got a bit annoyed at the lack of response and wanted to see the effect the hard work they were putting in was giving, and so I was dragged upright, finally getting a good look at what was happening to my friends, I mean.. they hadn't come to my rescue yet, so I guess they must have been busy. Wrong.
I glanced further down the path between the hustle of the ten odd bodies around me, it was hard to see between rapidly swelling eyes. I could see Adam-ski trying valiantly to make his way past two of the aggressors but where was Carlos. Oh, there he is, a good halfway down the path and wait.. running away? Coward!
As they moved back in to work over my face this time, I decided enough was enough, it was time to act, no one was coming to my aid and if I didn't get out now well.. the stars were starting to crowd in, passing out was not advised. So I grabbed the two sets of hands buried in my hair and persuaded them to let go. Unfortunately for me, they didnt, and so out came a few handfuls of hair along with the fists. That's ok, I grew up with quite a few older sisters who had a penchant for hair pulling, so it really didn't bother me all that much.
And that's when one of them decided to go for the straight punch to the face, I couldn't turn away and took it fair on the eye, it was a solid one, I remember this. Rocketed me back onto the pavement again where I lay still, they were obviously impressed with the work and started to discuss with each other. "Oh I think he's out, what should we do?" - "Maybe we should throw him in the water, pretty sure he'll drown" and the hands came across my ankles.
Well, now you don't have any means to defend yourself Sir, and I will not be taken down so easily. I broke his jaw. I'm disgusted at myself for this. I felt his bones shatter beneath my fist.
Coming to my feet in a rush I grabbed two of the nearest bodies and well, clapped their heads together like cymbals, before shoving them apart as they reeled. This afforded me the opening I needed to make an escape, unfortunately (for him) one of the guys working at Adam-ski noticed the hollerings of his friends and turned to face me, lowering into what can only be described as a rushing tackle as we came together.
I've never flown before, I am not a bird, but I tell you the wings were on my feet at this point, and I knew I had one chance to get past him. So I picked my moment, ducked left, weaved right then pulled off a little feint as the last second to put him off balance. It worked, and just as I came past him I reached ever so gently around his back, grabbed the back of his pants and lifted his feet off the ground while stiff arming him across the back of his neck at the same time. He went down. Hard. I'm pretty sure I drove his face into the pavement after toppling him over. Shame I didn't have time to savor this little victory because I still had the stampeding horde behind me.
Some how I managed to complete a full three sixty rotation whilst I did what can only be described as a "full on ninja move", and came back down onto my feet, still pounding pavement. However the next guy saw what I did to his buddy, and wasn't so easily fooled.
I went down like a sack of potatoes, one of his arms hooked into and around my knee and the other up around my waist. Man I've never bit pavement at full speed before, believe me, it hurts.
That's when the rest of them caught up, and I'm guessing they were not pleased about losing their sport for a few minutes and really started to work me over, this is when I got mad, started to curse them. "You are scum of the earth, fight fair, line up and I'll go through the lot of you".
Appealing to their honor obviously had no effect on the males, but the lady folk present must have had some sense of it, because they started to push them off me. "He's had enough, let him go" and I felt the frequency of the strikes fade off as they pushed the guys away, who promptly turned on this interruption and started to abuse and threaten the ladies.
I rolled over and came to my feet once more, not moving so fast now, and limp-ran my way down the rest of the path, Adam-ski and Carlos had already gone, who knows where. And I pulled out my phone. (no idea how it stayed in my pocket but eh, whatever), dialing the police I told them in a shaky tone. "I need help, please help me."
It took everything I had to go over the sequence of events and not get hysterical at the lackadaisical tone of the operator on the other end, didn't they realize that I was still in a very compromising situation? I mean I was hiding between two parked cars, moving around them and whispering into my phone as this crew searched.
I waited, I waited some more, decided that these guys were not going to get away with what they did and started to follow them, clothes torn, blood pouring out of me. But hey what's the worst that could happen? I was already broken right.
It took the police 45 minutes to arrive.
By this point the group had walked lazily past a police station, boarded a train, and had left for destination unknown.
Pretty wild story huh?
Well.. it's not a story.
This happened to me 11 years ago, and is still as fresh as the memories of yesterday.
Abuse never leaves you, you carry it forever, please think twice before you go and turn to anger or hate.
Remember that this gift is one that will never wear down, never be forgotten, and likely never forgiven.
Use your words not your fists.. Please.
This hurt to dig up again, I'm sitting here panicked and breathless, my hands sweaty and heart pounding in my chest
There is no hope you enjoyed on this one, there is only hope they you understand the damage this can cause, and make a solemn vow with yourself never to inflict this upon one another. Much love, Peace be with you. <3