My life

I was walking back from my friend’s house at about midnight
when I passed two suspicious looking men.  It was soon apparent
that they were following me so I attempted to run back to my house
but they were closing in on me. I reached my road out of breath and
petrified. I felt two big hands grip onto my jacket as I was pushed
up against a wall. One of the men poked at my leg with a knife
while explaining that if I co-operated with them nothing would
happen to me. I followed their instructions, which meant going into
my house and collecting my bank card, two paying-in slips and
writing my full name and my bank pin on a piece of paper. I
returned outside deeply distressed and handed them my possessions.
A lot of thoughts were going through my mind.  I knew I should have
rung the police while I had the chance, but I didn’t as they
knew where I lived and I didn’t want to endanger my
family’s safety.
A few days later at about 10pm I was walking back to my house
again. A car was waiting on my road with the same people in it.
They ordered me to go inside, change into some smart clothes and
get my passport. At this stage I didn’t know what to expect.
As far as I knew they were planning to abduct me to a different
country.  I did as they said. They told me to get in the car.

I protested but they threatened me again so I got in. We drove to
the West End. The man sitting in the back with me told me exactly
what I was going to say and do. So I went into a bureau de change
and requested a thousand dollars. After many security questions the
man handed over the cash and I returned to the car. The man in the
driver seat took the money off me and drove off leaving me
pennyless. This was the last I was going to see of the men but I
didn’t know that.
After two weeks of keeping it bottled up, I couldn’t handle
it anymore and sat down with my mum and told her everything. It was
a very difficult afternoon.
I went to the police and made a statement, but later, because of
concern for my own safety and my family’s, I asked for the
police investigation to be terminated.