Intruders

"The blow came quick, the knock had just come to the door. They had disregarded the doorbell. The initial instinct had been to close the door when I saw the masks but it was too late. Where was Shaniya?! I wondered. My daughter was upstairs. I wanted to call out to her but I hadn't wanted to let them know I wasn't alone. Their voices were urban and deep. The blow came quick.

Unaccustomed to danger I had not owned a gun, he insisted it would not be safe for the kids, he kept us safe at all times, that was why we moved to the suburbs. A flash of light came and then darkness. The voices were distant and menacing. I laid still even after I had come to. The blood trickled from my forehead as I laid on the floor, it had been his gun. The impact of the blow was hard and sudden.

They prowled.

I yet laid still, I assumed Shaniya was asleep, she had had a long day at school. Her last words to me were 'where's Daddy' before retiring to her room.

They searched the drawers and cabinets downstairs strewing paper and even money, they had not wanted cash. I counted almost three hundred dollars laying on the carpet. I had not seen these men before, they were urban but their actions had indicated to me that they were not amateurs. Their boots expensive, their attire new as if purchased for the occasion. My head throbbed, the sound of their boots on the linoleum, disturbing each time they neared the living room from the kitchen. I heard the dishes break as they flew from the cabinets. What had they wanted? The television blasted the theme to The Golden Girls...'traveled down the road and back again' replayed over and over as the rest of the song continued. Thank u for being a friend.

The aroma of cigarettes filled the atmosphere, I could not bear the smoke, it could send me into a sneezing frenzy. It circulated in the kitchen its slow formation rose to the top leaving chemtrails of cancer. Sapphire, our Jack Russell came down the stairs and barked viciously at the culprits. I begged him to stop in my mind. His last whimper spelled defeat. I could hear the computers being thrown around. My anger scarcely maintained but I needed to know. What was the nature of this random visit. Had they known me? Had they known Isaac? A single set of footsteps got louder, he stood by my head. 'She's out cold, let's check upstairs,' deep voice suggested. 'I need to stay down here, what if someone comes...u go,' the other rebutted. Shaniya. My heart beat arrhythmic and rapid. The smoke became stronger. I needed to sneeze. What would happen I wondered. As if he knew he blew the smoke directly at me. 'Wake up' he said. 'Don't make me wake u up,' he threatened. He reached down, I could feel his hand brush the strands of my hair lightly, the back of his hand rubbed my cheek. 'I won't hurt u,' he whispered. 'Open your eyes.'

Shaniya screamed, I trembled in the fetal position I laid in. 'Get out!' She yelled. 'Mamaaa!' She called.

'Got one up here,' he alerted!

The oncoming sneeze burned.

'I don't know what u are talking about! she protested. 'Who are u?'

The blows thudded as the gun struck her skull. Her screams notified the neighbors something was wrong. I remember how Mr. McNeil had looked earlier that day. Like he now wanted to settle our differences. For some reason I had resented the fact that we were neighbors. The summer had not been pleasant, our cultures had not seen eye to eye. Her screaming stopped, the doorbell rang. Panicked the second one ran upstairs, 'WE GOTTA GO!' he warned.

The knob twisted, Mr. McNeil entered...hello! Is anyone home he called out simultaneously to seeing my body lying still on the floor. I had not been able to warn him. He ran down the stairs, aimed the gun at Mr. McNeil and fired. I remember how the warm brain matter felt as it landed on my face. If I wanted to live I knew I could not move. 'FUCK!' he yelled.

'Man we gotta go,' the other said....

'We can't leave no witnesses!' He said while pointing the gun at my skull. Its cold steel barrel giving off its chilling presence. Shaniya. 6 lbs 13 oz.

I noticed he had zipped his pants descending the stairs. Had she not put up a fight? The blood pooled around Mr. McNeil's head rapidly, his fingers twitched, his head rested on his stretched out arm. His eyes were opened. What they said next let me know this hadn't been any random invasion. They had not wanted money, but had already been paid. 'The divorce is next week, he said do it tonight! Next week!' he reiterated. Their masks were petrifying to the sight, demeaning to mankind. Shaniya...

The fear surfaced, was this real. I wanted to awake.

Divorce? We were not divorcing, I thought.

'LETS JUST LEAVE!' he suggested yet again.

I knew no one had heard the gunshots, the silencer ensured its discreet discharge, but it was only a matter of time before Helen McNeil came looking for her husband.

'What about her?!' He asked, 'we have to kill her too!'

He leaned forward, removed his glove and put his index and middle finger against my neck. 'See, no pulse.'

(Phone Ringing)

Had she felt her better half was in danger?

'We should leave! This was the wrong house,' he said. '1708! Not 1728!

The suppressed sneeze emerged."