Sliding Door
We were not alone...................................................................
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My family moved to Texas, leaving all of our loved ones behind. It was okay because we'd visit and kept in contact through letters and phone calls, but one beautiful day my aunt moved to Texas. It was great having a family member close to us. She understood our desire to be closer to more family members so she, the gracious person she is, became pregnant with my cousin.
My aunt is a light and joy to be around. She is easy going, not judgmental, and a great sense of humor. She has this cute little laugh that is rivaled only by four year old. Ironically she does have this killer look when she gets mad that I call the," I wish you would!", stare that all good mothers posses; it will knock the wind right out of you.
I had so much fun spending the night over her place. I don't remember watching TV or playing games, just talking. Then it was lights out and I retired to the air mattress in the living room and she went to bed. It was still black outside when I was woken up by loud and strange noises. One noise was the alarm in the apartment, the other noises was a few men in uniforms at the door; they had walkies talkies that were making all kinds of noise, and they were asking my aunt questions. All of this was very confusing for a nine year old. Someone said, "Wow I can't believe your just waking up." My aunt responded by saying," Yeah I know the alarm has been going off for awhile now and she did not budge." Still groggy I shook myself awake so I could hear her recount last nights events.
While I was sleeping, a man stood on top of a stair railing and pulled himself up onto my aunts second floor balcony. He slide open the glass door and walked past the sleeping kid into my aunts bedroom. Scared and shocked at the sight of the intruder my aunt let out a shrill scream. While flashing a knife he instructed her to be quiet and she obliged. He then walked her into the bathroom and closed the bathroom. I assume he intended to rape her but she told him she was pregnant. He asked her to lift her nightgown, and looked at her belly. He then asked her where her money was and proceeded to look under her mattress, and then came into the living room and looked through her kitchen drawers, with her by his side. He walked her to her room and then left.
Upon him leaving my aunt ran into the living room and sounded the alarm. She called either the police or apartment security and it wasn't until then that I woke up. I remember looking at my aunt and my heart swelling with respect and admiration. She was scared for herself, unborn child and her niece, but instead of panicking she was calm, trusted her instincts and was now laughing at me and my narcolepsy. She taught me that you can experience a life and death threat and still smile only minutes after the incident. Because of her bravery, I never got a chance to be traumatized.
Some people in my family expressed concern with my deep sleep. They said,"What if you were in a fire? You would not be able to wake up; something terrible could happen!". I remember my aunt saying with sparklingly eyes and a pretty smile, " I think the fact that you slept through the whole thing saved both of us." Aunty I can't tell you how much your example and words have impacted my life; thank you.
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