Intense Moments for a Moody Student...

The loud crunch of one car smashing into another set my heart racing in my chest. I couldn't see past the side of the bus stop, but I instinctively jumped backwards. The car right in front of us sped away, through the intersection, with a large dark SUV on its tail. The SUV pulled alongside the car. The window was down, and a hand holding a gun emerged.

I sat on a rooftop with three of my friends, enjoying a removed view of the city. It was a clear night and the skyline shone beauitfully. The moon glowed above us intensely, and the Big Dipper twinkled dimly above my head. I enjoyed the various conversations of my friends, the guitar playing and singing Ruth provided. It was chilly, but not too cold. It felt so good to be in the open, up on a roof, four stories above the streets below. The skyscrapers stood magnificently in the distance, and a random firework sparkled on the opposite horizon. I loved standing up there, my arms spread, enjoying freedom from the imposing buildings and having nothing between me and the sky.
We left late. Later than we planned. By the time we reached the bus stop not far from Rachel's apartment is was 12:45. There were people out and about, and I didn't feel particularly unsafe. There was a cozy bar on the corner, windows and doors open, showing people within enjoying drinks and good company. Ruth called the CTA- 20 minutes before our bus would come. I suggested we start walking, in hopes of finding a place to eat along the way. Chuck protested, saying it was safer to stay where we were. Ruth, Rebekah and myself decided walking would be better, so we set off. We came upon a Burger King a few blocks down and Ruth and I decided to run in and grab something to eat. Unfortunately, only the drive thru is open all night. So, driven by our hunger, we decided to go through the drive thru. We stood at the intercom with no luck. I thought perhaps we could just walk up to the window. There were three cars ahead of us, so we decided to return to where Rebekah and Chuck were waiting at the intersection.
We crossed back over to the bus stop and decided to wait there. Chuck suddenly suggested that we step back closer to the building behind us. I was momentarily confused until he pointed out that a car that had just passed seemed to notice us and had specifically turned around to approach us. At this point I began to get a little nervous. The car pulled up and two men asked how to get to club Excalibur. Ruth and I decided to go ahead and give them directions from where we stood a safe distance back on the sidewalk. Just as we finished explaining, I heard the smash of another car hitting the one right in front of us. I couldn't see the other car at first, but the guys asking directions wasted no time trying to get away. As they accelerated through the intersection, the SUV came alongside them. The passenger in the SUV pulled out a gun and leaned out the window.
I felt sick with terror and turned. I did not want to witness this. I didn't want to give the gunman any reason to turn the car around and come get the four of us, witnesses to the hit and run and now for some act of violence. As the first car got away, the SUV turned around. I thought to myself a lot of things that can't be repeated here, but I also took the moment to let God know I would prefer not to be shot down outside of Burger King on Chicago Avenue. We began to turn and walk quickly the other way, my heart racing and my body trembling. The SUV didn't pass us again, and we decided to stay at a bus stop about a block away from the one we had just been at.
I must admit, I was terrified, and I have never been so scared before. I have never been so close to a gun in the hands of someone who meant it for ill, or at least been aware of such. I have never felt the need to bolt like I did in that moment, to get away from these two cars and the feud that was escalating between them. It took a few minutes for my shaking to stop, for my heart rate to slow, for me to feel secure and not worried about a gunman in a dark SUV.