The House on Springay Road

When I was in 9th grade we lived in a house that sat next to a pond, the only house on Springay Road at the time. It was a typical chalet style house with a walk out basement and wrap around porch, certainly nothing glamorous.

We had lived there for several months and gotten used to the seclusion the house held. It was seldom and far between that we seen a car pass the house, the road was not traveled often. My step dad at the time worked downstate during the week, coming home only on the weekends, leaving my mother, my brother, and I the only ones home.

My bedroom was in the walk out portion of the basement, a large 4' square window in the center of my room. During the day I could look out to the pond, look up and see the deck, look to the right and see the wood pile. Because we lived in such a secluded area, it was never even a consideration that I need a curtain in my window. Nobody could see in, I rarely ever changed in my room anyway. My brothers bedroom was on the other side of mine, facing the road, his only window one of the tiny rectangular windows that most basements have.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a hard sleeper, I can sleep through anything. Which can be a curse, as you will find out.

It was a night in the late fall, all the leaves had already fallen from the trees. I was snuggled up in my bed when my mother had come barreling into my room with a gun. At first thought as I opened my eyes I thought she was going to kill me. She was yelling for me to go upstairs as fast as I could. Someone was banging on my bedroom window, she was screaming. I was too terrified to move, she yanked me off the bed, I fell with a thud onto the cement floor, scrambling to my feet.

I made it to the stairs and my brother was yelling for me to hurry. He was at the top of the stairs looking out the window, someone was just outside that window too. Running up the stairs and into my mom's room, I shut the door just as I heard the gun shot. Picking up the phone, I hit the number for directory assistance. We didn't have 911 at that time yet, I asked for the police, I told the woman our house was being broken into. She began to ask a question as the second gunshot went off. I have no idea who I was talking to, but I kept telling them our house was being broken into. I could hear them banging on the upstairs front door now. I started to cry and couldn't stop.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, I didn't know if they were my mother or not, I was scared stiff. Then it all just stopped. To this day I have no idea who they were or why they did what they did, but they never came back.

The police arrived after what seemed like an eternity. We each had to give our account of what happened. When the officer had asked me where I was when this happened, I explained how I had been sleeping. He looked through my window, then went outside and shined his light a bit. Outside my window were several unexplained cigarette butts, someone had stood there and smoked, watching me sleep. Out in the front yard someone had cut the tires on my moms car and blocked our dog into the dog house. The officer told my mom she was lucky, he felt certain if she hadn't done what she had done with the gun it could have ended badly.

Sitting here now thinking about this still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

As stupid as this may sound, now, at the time I was convinced they were devil worshippers. I was so naive to the world! I couldn't understand why someone would break into our house, we didn't have anything of value, I didn't understand what they could possibly be after.

It really saddens me to know there are such sick people out there. And, you never know who they may be. The most normal person could be a secret monster.

What brings this up tonight? Well, it just popped into my mind as I listened to Zach tell Charlie about a guy who pulled up into the driveway in a car with one headlight. Apparently he didn't get out of the car, he just sat there watching Zach and Hank. (Hank is a rotweiler) I immediately turned to Zach and asked him why in the heck he didn't say something to one of us. He just shrugged his shoulders and said the guy backed out and drove away after a minute. I hate to admit it, but it scared me. It could have been something as simple as a guy who is lost and trying to find his way, but what if it was someone who was up to no good?

I still can't believe he didn't say anything to anyone. It bothers me. I thought I had raised him to be more cautious then that. Sometimes I can't help but wonder, what in the heck is wrong with that kid?