The road was quiet that afternoon. No crowd, no noise. Just a clear road, but around the corner that we did see, there were some SARS officers that had positioned themselves there, and some had to hide for people to enter their trap. I was on a commercial bike going out to get one of two things for myself and then to also check up on someone. Around the bent corner of the road, the bike man had already spotted them, though we were already near them, but as he was about to turn to take another route, those who hide came out. Before I could lift my head to even process anything, I had a gun pointed at me to come down from the bike. One of the officers pointed the gun directly at my face. I lost myself for some seconds before I came back to reality. Everything went dark and strange, like my brain just stopped processing at that moment. I wanted to defend myself at that moment. But that corner where we were ambushed, I said to myself, this is not the right place because no one was passing, and it was not a busy road, and these people can do anything to me.
They led me to their black truck, where I met other guys too. They collected my phone just to go through it. Meanwhile, I already pleaded with the bike man to go and report what happened to my uncle, who is a lawyer, after I described his office to him. I was glad that he didn't decline. They told me to enter the van as they drove to their police station. No questions asked, my phone was still with one of them. But I guess they saw some of these crypto apps on my phone.
After we arrived at their station, they were talking to the other guys, but I didn't respond. Not long after, my uncle arrived. I don't know what he told them, but they allowed me to go. I thought that was all and that I was fine. Which was exactly what I told him when he asked if I was okay. But the following day when I went out again, the bike I took wanted to pass that same route. I didn't know when I voiced out that he should not. That was when I knew that I was not fine.
I was still a student when that incident happened. And anytime I was traveling and we got to any checkpoint, I was always like my chest froze and the fear in my heart. I was always having PTSD anytime I saw a gun near a police checkpoint or police officer. Even though I tried to avoid conversations like that and tried to avoid police officers, I even prayed to God about it. But that experience stayed with me for a long time. Every time I think about it, my mind always tightens even before I know anything.
But over time, what settled it for me was that I started to voice out. I shared my experience with friends. I just had to talk about it. And anytime I am trying, I always try to sit in front just to have a one-on-one facial look with that gun and those police officers at the checkpoint. It was not something dramatic at all. But that experience started leaving me gradually. Though I didn't heal completely and as fast as I wanted. But I never pretended that I didn't leave a terrible mark in me. And some of the decision I made was helpful.
A policeman pointed a gun at me even though I was harmless. But what it nearly finished wasn't my body. It was my sense of safety. Because these people are meant to be protecting me and you, not threatening us like we are criminals.
Thank you for reading.
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