Writing Advice - Individuals Reactions to Danger and Combat · 7:39am Mar 5th, 2016
This story is personal, and happened recently, and is in part responsible for the gap in my normal posting schedule. That's not the point. Nor is the point to get pity from you guys, I simply want to share a personal experience to provide a first hand example for people's reactions to danger. After all not everyone reacts the same, thus characters should not react the same.
Also a disclaimer: Everything I did is perfectly legal under Alaskan law, and I am in the clear legally. You may find this morally objectionable, if so, I honestly don't care because I avoided being beaten, cut, and probably killed.
I live in a poor part of Fairbanks, it's not the slums, but I can walk there from here. I happen to live near a Walmart, and so for certain things, I walk there and use a large camping backpack to cart things back. Because I don't have a car and the walk is quite long, I used to (I'm not gonna now) take a shortcut through a few empty lots to strait line to the store and back again. These lots are not safe places. People go there to do drugs, homeless people sleep there, and apparently people go to mug people there too. I know this because a guy attempted to mug me on my way back from the store.
I need to go into some background on myself here or this will seem like bullshit.
When I was in high school, I wanted to learn to fence. Not sport fencing ether, the moving back and forth linearly and slapping at one another with straitened coat hangers holds no appeal for me. I was fortunate enough for my dad to be willing to take me into Anchorage (we lived in Palmer, it's an hour drive) every week to attend a HEMA class. HEMA is sort of a reenactment society, and also sort of a martial arts class. It's short for Historical European Martial Arts, which is real fencing... and also bows... and some hand to hand.
My dad probably only let me go be cause it's a super masculine thing, and well, I'm not a masculine person and my dad is under the impression that transgender people don't exist, and thus all XY chromosome possessing people NEED to be more masculine or as masculine as Davy fucking Crockett. I dont care much about the why he let me take those classes because I loved them, and I was good. After 3 years, I actually managed to win three separate city tournaments, and basically held a similar position to a black belt in a karate Dojo, where instead of learning I was training newer students in the basics.
My point is, I'm not bullshitting when I say that I'm pretty good with a sword. I'm also not bullshitting when I say that I firmly believe that the right to life includes the right to defend your life. Because guns are expensive, and honestly can't easily injure or maim an opponent (killing in self defense is not a good idea), I've kept up my fencing practice over the years, and carry a small shortsword under my jacket whcih is long and loose enough to conceal it completely, allowing others to be comfortable around me (I'm not out of my apartment much anyways).
That said, a guy tried to mug me the other day, and he pulled out a flip knife to do it with.
I think that most people would have run. Perhaps a saner person would have turned over their pack and wallet and phone. A person similar to me might have attacked him, after waiting for the right opportunity. I didn't do any of that.
He pulled a knife, told me to give him my bag, I drew my sword and went for a strike to his weapon hand. Not intentionally. I didn't think 'Fuck this guy!' and strike. I just did. Automatically, by reflex. No thought, no emotion.
I didn't do it perfectly ether, fortunately for him (if I had he would be minus a hand and I might be in some legal trouble.). Hell, I actually hit him in such a way that due to him trying to get away I managed to force him to stab me in the thy/ass connection area (Not too badly, leather coats are great at resisting puncture).
After that initial strike, I threw a second one, also automatically. No thought. No emotion. This one caught him across the gut and he was done. Dropped. Passed out, maybe from pain, maybe from fear. I don't know, and I dont care. He's alive, in the hospital, and if you care about it, he'll keep the hand.
At this point, a cop who happened to have seen the whole thing managed to get into "doing something" range. He called an ambulance, I had to make a statement for his report, there was lots of legal drama, but I'm fine because he saw the guy pull the knife on me first. He was even running over starting from that point. Started maybe 20 yards away.
My point here is that it happened fast, 2-3 seconds at most. That's how a real 'fight' is, it's quick, brutal, and over in a few moments. If you want t write a realistic fight, that's what you need to make things feel like. Hell, I literally didn't even know I'd done anything until about the point the cop got there. I didn't have an 'oh shit I'm attacking this guy apparently!' moment until it was already done and over with.
For the record, given the situation, the cop was very professional, informed me that legally I was in the clear, cited the laws, made sure the guy was alive, even applied first aid. The only negative to there having been a cop involved is now I'm down a sword because evidence... And also I'll have to pop into court sometime in the future.
As for the point of this whole thing, when threatened, some people freeze, some flee, some fight, and the one I didn't know, some (including me apparently) autopilot their way through the situation. So if you are looking for an interesting way to have your character react to danger, perhaps the autopilot rout is the one for you.
Also yes, my excuse for missing the last upload date is I got stabbed in the ass and had to deal with legal shit.
Woah that is some scary stuff! I'm glad you will be okay, and it sure is a good thing you knew what to do so well you didn't even have to think of it! And I agree, some of the best fights I have read in books are just like that. Quick, not thinking, just reacting and doing what needs done, to put it simply. I hope they let you have your sword back soon too!
3792169 Even if i hadn't reacted, I'm pretty sure that cop would have been there fast enough to stop me from being too hurt. I don't know what's up with other states, but Alaska State Troopers seem to give a flying fuck about "protect and serve". It was differently scary, but not in the way you might think. I was mostly afraid that I'd killed the guy and was going to be spending my life in prison. I feel nothing about hurting him, like at all... and that's also scary.
Yeah i wish cops were better like that over here. Too worried about getting sued or something, (we have a lot of sue happy people living in the area). I would be scared of that too! (If I had that kind of training, I have some basic karate, but don't think that would be enough in this kind of situation, I don't know enough for it to be... instinct? to react.) That is scary indeed, heh one reason I'm not a violent person(or am wanting to hit people in general?) I would feel bad if I hurt someone. :P But I don't blame you for not feeling bad about it, he was trying to hurt you, he doesn't deserve sympathy. *hugs*
I did something similar when I lived in Wilmington, NC. Got mugged by a dude with a shitty little revolver. Like perfect conversational tones as I stepped in close enough that I could maneuver before he registered the need to pull the trigger and waited for him to pull it up. And then was totally calm during and afterwards.
I also have chats on the topic with my federal officer foster father. Apparently the "slowmo" thing actually happens or your sequence of events stutters a bit and you cross 20 yards in half a second.
3792188 I knew about the slow mo thing from my stepdad (Gulf War vet), but I had no idea that you could just automaticly do things. The whole martial arts "think with your hands, not your head" zen bullshit sounding stuff is actually true.
Wow. Yeah, the real world is like that. Bad things can happen very quickly and unexpectedly. I hope that everything goes well.
oh damn... I hope you're okay mentally. But I'm glad you weren't hurt. Hopefully it'll all blow over easily. won't say the same about that guys hand because if he was mugging people he kinda deserved it.
On a happier note, you carry a short sword on you? Awesome.
I wouldn't be able to get away with that where I live... Mainly because I know jack about fighting and an abundance of metal detectors. 
Hope you don't worry over it too much! And that you get your sword back!
3792191 It will. I'm 100% within the law. AK is a Stand your Ground state, I didn't deliver a finishing blow, and I'm on record as having been attacked first by a cop who's in good standing. At most I'll have to testify in court, at the least I'll need to be in the courthouse at the pleabargin to ... stuff. (I'm not sure exactly what I do in that case.).
3792190 I did. That's why handgun drills are a thing I did with my kid brother. I'd seriously threaten him with an airsoft pistol (same weight and operation, "fucking up" danger is an "OW FUCK" rather than a "*ded*") and he would snap it out of my hands. He's at the point now where he can take control of a handgun aimed with both hands in Weaver, snap it around and pull the trigger (hitting me in the chest or stomach 90% of the time) or break it down and scatter it quicker than I can even process what the fuck just occurred.
3792192 I'm only shaken in that I could have easily gone to prison if I'd killed him, and apparently I just so it rather than think and then do. I've been in plenty of fights (my high school SUCKED) so I've basically had my 'serious fight stress/fear' thing over and done with for about a decade now.
I do. I know how to use one, they can be very easily and comfortably hidden, and legally you're better off carrying a melee tool for defense in most states. I like how Alaska is like "Is it a gun? No? You committing a crime today? No? Carry on."
I hope I get it back too, because it is a very nice Gladius by cold steel and was a birthday gift. And in the mean time, the only replacement I have is a Bowie knife, and I'm nowhere near as good with one because the weight is VASTLY different. I'm not expecting to get mugged again, statistically, this was the one I'll get, but well... Lightning can and will strike twice, three times, up to multiple times literally every single day...
3792194 I saw a security camera recording where an ex-marine working at a fast food place has a gun pulled on him, and the dude drops the clip, ejects the chambered round, and then removes the slide all in one motion with his left hand, then according to the article the vid was a part of calmly asked the guy for his order. People realy underestimate how effective guns are at point blank range.
3792198 well hopefully lighting doesn't strike three or four times
I can relate with high school... Doesn't mean I know anything about fighting tho
3792190 Holy crap, Meep, you're badass. I'm going to strip down into my loincloth and swoon at your feet in some terrifying parody of a Boris Vallejo painting.
Seriously though, that's pretty... well, cool, honestly. I guess that 'martial-arts-becomes reflex' thing one hears about is real! More importantly, you came out mostly-undamaged. Glad you're safe!
3792200 *overestimate.
Generally you don't want to use a handgun within ~5 yards.
3792207 I'm not that much of a bad ass. Yes, I have a leather long coat. Yes I can use a sword... But i'd rather be at home under a warm blanket writing about pastel colored ponies...
3792209 No argument there! Though that just makes you a 'reluctant hero'-type badass.
3792208 Quite right, my bad with the typo there.
I know there are five basic drives, but I can only remember fight, flight, flow, and F#*K... And that's thanks to alliteration. I never really had to fight outside of sparring, and I can sneak up on a rooster or large dog before I'm noticed, smaller dogs give me a wide berth, and I've never had much difficulty capturing the attention of cats. I'm not sure if I scare horses, but I'm fairly certain I scare the poo out of snakes.
3792221 Snakes seem to like me, they just kinda come over and chill. Like "Hey human, sup. Mind if I sit here It's got teh warms." Or they did when I lived in places where snakes were.
3792226
Considering my local park is filled with giant 'ground' dwelling ferret sized squirrels. Whom, I've never seen go up a tree when in danger, I'm sure there's a reason the snakes are afraid of larger mammals... not to mention I have no idea what the canadian geese are eating out here, I've seen a few of them by lakes, but they mostly hang out at parks and grassy fields. High desert is just weird that way.
3792231 I used to live in the Mojave, the snakes there were chill as fuck. Only bitten once, and that was when I stepped on the poor guy accidentally.
3792236
Probably somebody's pet then, I have no clue. I've never kept reptiles. Dogs, hermit crabs, cats, gerbils, fish, and hamsters are more easily taken care of. I looked into it, and I considered getting a praying mantis colony or crickets for feeding but it wasn't exactly cost efficient. I even considered getting a spider once, they look kind of cute. I know snakes move really fast through water. Not to mention I once saw an alligator as big as a car... or at least as big as 15 year old on a bike.
Wow that's way badass, and I don't think anyone, including pacifists like me, is going to fault you for self defense. Just don't go around trying to reenact westside story.
3792283 I'm not a pacifist, but I'm also not a warmonger. I like to think myself as a healthy balance of the two. My dad always said you should never start a fight, but you should always be the one to finish one, and well, that's sound advice. I wish more people heeded it, if that one cop hadn't been on patrol, and I didn't decide to carry that day, I'd have been in a lot of trouble because i dont think I could take a knife wielder bare handed... I'm not a bad ass, I just know how to use the one thing.
As for being faulted for it... It happened. By a friend too, so I felt the need for the disclaimer here, because apparently self defense now needs a trigger warning...
Dang, Meep.
Yeah, that's a pretty good excuse.
3792333 More story soon though.
3792317 I'm sorry, but your friend faulted you for defending yourself and disarming your opponent? Give them a slap upside the head for me mate.
3792193 Ok, that's good to know.
Well, I'm glad you're both alive
Also:
3792456 I seriously thought about it, trust me.
3792550 Ha. I forgot about that one. Thanks... But also for the record that's probably the most painful place to get stabbed.
3793479 While I will agree to being called an "expert", that's only because I've put in at least 10,000 hours, so yes, I would be an expert... But the skill is very obscure and not very usefull so I'd hardly call myself a badass or anything.
3793552 I think I'd be good for that... I could keep people going forthe 2 weeks nessicary
3793612 He could keep'em going for 2 weeks if necessary... So he can eat them.
3793612 Um, you do now how long it takes for a body to decompose right? After 2 weeks tops, no more zombies. Just piles of bones and strings of flesh.
3792931 I can guess why
3793735 Especialy if after getting stabbed you just can't find the blacksmith.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsJO-ZSqcjw
3793751
You watch his videos often?
3793777 I live on the internet.
3793792 I'll take that as a yes
3793814 As you should Timmy, as you should.
3793824 *dying noises*
3793837
3794099 Well, by definition, a zombie is a mobile corpse soooo