The Intruders

The Intruders

I laid in bed attempting to sleep. I felt uneasy but unsure of why. Something wasn't right. I rolled over in bed looking out the window trying to decipher the world outside. A door clicked shut. My husband is supposed to be watching a movie in the other room, maybe it was him. I checked the night stand for the monitor showing both of my children sleeping in bed. I continued to watch them laying there peacefully. The monitored flashed. Something moved but it wasn't either of the kids. I froze. Eyes wide open watching for a glint of anything. Watching my babies. My heart had dropped at the movement and hadn't come back. I hand came into view of the camera just barely on both cameras and waved at me. My heart stopped. I flew out of bed, ran to the closest dresser to find my small pistol hidden in the top drawer. The dresser was in the corner on the same wall as the door leading out into the hallway. Just as I closed the drawer the bedroom door started to open slowly. I ducked into the corner of the dresser and wall, trying to hide in the shadow. I watched and waited until I could make out the person standing in the doorway looking around. I had to do something fast. There were people in the rooms of my babies. I couldn't go too fast encase it was my husband looking for me. I took a deep breath, leaned out to the side to get a better angle to see the face. It was not my husband.

I stepped out of the shadow with my gun raised. The guy froze. I spoke first.

"Leave now or I will shoot!"

I tried to steady my voice and my hands but I was completely terrified. If this is not my husband then where is he? Have they hurt him to get to me or the kids? I can't waste anymore time. As I had one hand raised with the gun, I pulled out my phone from my pocket. Dialed 911 without taking my eyes off the intruder.

"Hello what's your emergency?"

"There are intruders in my home. I have a count of 3 right now. 2 are upstairs with my children and I am holding the 3rd at gunpoint as I am in fear of my life as well as my family. I don't know what they have done with my husband. I dont hear him so I fear the worst."

"I understand you are scared, the police are on their way. Please do not engage any further."

"I'm sorry that is not going to be possible until I have my children safely in my arms."

I put the phone on speaker and slide it back into my pocket so she would be able to hear all of the commotion that was about to happen.

I stepped forward towards the guy in the doorframe. He stepped back matching my steps until I reached the door and he was down the hallway. I stepped backwards towards the opening of the stairs. I glanced up not seeing anything, not even a light on. I only saw the glow of the kids nightlights. I looked back at the guy.

"This is how this is going to work. I want the guys you have upstairs to come down now or I will shoot you."

He didn't say anything. He continued to stare at me.

"I'm not kidding. You better tell them now!"

A small smile grew on his face.

"Oh yeah right, you aren't going to do anything. Do you even know how to use a gun? I'm not going to tell them anything until we are ready to leave with your kids in hand."

My worst fear was coming true. Not just somebody breaking in the house, I can handle a few possessions being stolen. I can not handle my children being stolen. That was not going to happen and I was going to prove to him I mean business. I needed to shoot but in a place that wounds him enough to act as I instructed without doing any damage that will provoke him anymore than necessary. I aimed for right below his right knee, squeezed the trigger, keeping my arm as steady as I could.

My ears were ringing. The guy was on the ground screaming or what I thought would be screaming. His mouth was wide open and his face was red. I hit exactly where I intended to. I didn't lower my gun. I meant business now. I knew my children would be awake after that and terrified that someone was in their rooms. I gave the guy meant to kill stare.

"I know how to use a gun. I know how to protect my family. Now call your guys down or I will shoot again and do more damage this time."

He stared with a look of confusion. I could tell he was thinking through his options. Trying to decide how serious I was.

"I SAID NOW!"

I took a small step closer to him. His face buckled under my stare.

"Ok! Ok! Please just back up and lower your gun!"

I didn't move. I was not going to back down until the police have them in custody and my children and husband are safe in my arms.

"No!"

He slid backwards on the concrete floor as if he could get away from me. He was being very stubborn about this. How far was I going to have to take this? I really don't want to kill him. If he won't call for them then I will.

"WHOEVER IS UPSTAIRS BETTER COME DOWN EMPTY HANDED NOW OR THIS GUY WILL GET SHOT AGAIN!"

I waited. I didn't hear any noises, no footsteps above me.

"I AM SERIOUS. I'VE ALREADY SHOT HIM ONCE AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO DO IT AGAIN!"

I heard a few slow steps with whispers. They were discussing what they were going to do.

"Mommy!"

The yells from my 3 year old, calling for me. This is pure torture for me.

"Mommy! I want you!"

What was I supposed to do? What could I do to get up there to her?

"Baby girl, are you ok?"

"Mommy! I want you!"

I've got to do something. I've got to get to her. I've got to get to them both.

"Momma! Momma!"

My heart dropped further and almost stopped. My 2 year old crying out for me. At least they can both still call out. They are still alive and not injured or I would hear their terrified screams.

"Baby boy, sweetie. I hear you and I'm trying."

I looked harder at the guy bleeding out on the floor in front of me.

"NOW!"

His face dropped.

"Alright guys, she isn't playing. She is pointing the gun at my head."

I was and I had every intention of using it but not at his head, more towards his other leg. He didn't need to know that. I needed to stay serious and strong for the safety of my children and myself.

I could hear footsteps slowly walking down the stairs. I took a step backwards to see up the stairway. There were 2 large guys walking down slowly with their hands raised up indicating they were unarmed and didn't have my children.

There was a knock at the door, a quiet knock. I knew the police were supposed to be coming but I would assume they would be more forceful about their entry. The second knock was a little louder. I stepped backwards to put my back against the door.

"Who is it?"

I demanded really hoping that it was the police and not more of these guys. Everybody in the house was quiet listening for the answer on the other side of the front door.

"It's the police. We are here about the report of bulgares and kidnapping."

The guy said from the other side. He was yelling and didn't sound very urgent about his response either. He said it more like an informational bit not that he was actually concerned about the situation. That made me worried that he wasn't really the police.

"If you are the police then prove it. How can I trust you?"

I asked and he took a bit to respond. I saw a flash of lights to my left through the dining room outside on the street. Then 3 more cars showed up all shining the lights on each other to show the police cars.

"Is that better? Can you trust me know?"

He waited quietly as did everybody else. I thought I could trust him but before anybody moved I needed to know my children were still ok up in their rooms. Once that door opened there would be so much going on in restraining these 3 guys.

"Hold on. BABY GIRL ARE YOU OK? IS YOUR BROTHER OK TOO?"

There was no noise, no movement. I held my breath waiting for an answer.

"Yes Mommy, we are ok. We are in my bed playing."

I took a deep breath. They were good. Now to get these guys out so I can check on my husband in the living room down the hall. I reached my hand behind my back with still holding my gun up at one of the guys while the other 2 stood on the last steps of the staircase. I unlocked the door behind me.

"Please come in slowly, I don't know what these 3 guys are capable of."

The door slowly pushed into my back and I moved with it to allow the police officer in. I spoke quietly to the man.

"What is your name please?"

He cleared his throat and spoke quietly back to me.

"Officer Jim Thorn, and you are?"

I still hadn't taken my eyes off of all 3 guys and my gun was still up even though the officer had his raised as well.

"Riley. How many officers are with you to obtain these criminals?"

The door was now all the way open and he was standing right next to me evaluating the situation that we are currently dealing with.

"Enough that you can now lower your gun and let us handle this."

Two more officers slide in beside him as I slide up against the wall. The grabbed the two guys closest standing on the staircase. The were cuffed and walked outside without a scuffle. They were very cooperative for two guys being arrested. I stood there waiting in anticipation of getting my children from their rooms. Then to go check on my husband to see what they did to him to have him be quiet this whole time. I turned to Officer Jim.

"What about him? When can I go get my kids?"

"In just a minute. We have to wait for EMS to come get him because he is injured. After they have taken him out of the house I will escort you upstairs while checking for others. I want to ensure your safety as well as your children."

Another officer came in standing next to Officer Jim. He whispered to the officer and they each nodded. Officer Jim turned towards me. This was the first time he had actually looked at me. This whole time he had been staring at the intruders just as I had been.

"Ok follow me upstairs to rescue your children."

I nodded, not knowing what to say. I just wanted to be with them right away. We started up and the other officer that had come in stayed in the door with his gun raised at the guy on the floor. Officer Jim made his way up the stairs very slowly. I stepped on his heels a few times as I tried to rush him up. He held a hand up at me to silently say 'slow down, don't rush this'. We topped the stairs, he looked both ways then whispered back at me.

"Which way?"

"My daughter is to the right and my son's room is to the left."

He nodded and we proceeded to the left. He held a hand up again. I stopped at the doorway waiting for him to give the all clear. He went in and searched through every corner and closet. He came back out.

"Nobody in there. Your son is not in there either."

I nodded. My daughter did say they were playing in her bed earlier. He continued to the right down the hall. He stopped at the bathroom held up his hand for me not to follow. He returned 10 seconds later.

"All clear."

He pointed towards the end of the hall where there are two doors and shrugged. I answered pointing to the left first then straight ahead.

"That is the attic and that is my daughter's room."

He nodded walking forward. We reached her door. He placed his back against the attic door and a hand on the doorknob of her room.

"Ok we are going to take this easy. They say they are in here and hopefully alone. I will walk in first with you following behind me. You grab the kids and get on the bed holding them both as I search the room. Then I will leave you in here if it is all clear to go check the attic. Once I finish we will proceed downstairs as long as the guy has been picked up by the EMS. We don't want your children to witness the bloody mess. "

I nodded, my voice was gone as all my worst fears were bubbling up inside of me. I know they said they were ok but what if they weren't. He slowly opened the door peeking in. He pushed the door back against the wall. His way of checking that nobody was hiding behind it. I stepped in ready to grab my children in a big hug but they weren't there. We both froze searching around the room with our eyes. I stepped forward to start searching around the bed and in the closet but he stuck out his arm to block me.

"I'll go first."

He started with the simplest spot. The other side of the bed, he looked back at me and shook his head no. He knelt down to look under the bed. He stood up and shook his head again. The only place left is the closet. He walked around the bed and slowly up the closet. He opened the door peeking in. He lowered his gun and hide it behind his back. He looked at me and nodded his head. I ran and pushed my way in front of him dropping to the ground as I slung the door open. Both of my children were sitting on the floor pulling all their toys out of the tubs. I wrapped my arms around them super tight as they squirmed to get free. I left them loose a little to move the clothes around to check that nobody was hiding in there with them. Tears were streaming down my face as I continued to hold on to both of them. They kept pushing my arms but that didn't stop me. I was not letting go of them ever. I looked up at the officer and said.

"We are good if you need to go check the attic."

He looked back at the door then at me.

"Um... well several other officers have already gone into the attic as we entered this room. They are having some troubles and asked that we stayed here under cover."

My mouth dropped.

"What! There are more of these guys? Now we are not safe again?"

He nodded, took a few steps to close the door and turn off the light. He came back to the closet.

"I need to close the door. I will be in front of the door but we need to keep you three hidden and I'm not able to get you down the hallway and out of the house while they are fighting the remaining 2 guys. "

He closed the door and shoved a blanket at the bottom of the door to block the light from shining out into the dark room. I sat there holding the kids trying to think of anything that might help hide us better. I whispered into the door.

"You can turn off the closet light if it will help."

The light went out. Both kids whined. I hushed them and turned on the light of my phone. I pulled the toys out from under the clothes. I pulled myself and both kids through the clothes and placed our backs against the wall and pushed the clothes in front of us to block us from being seen in a quick glance. We were all quiet as we listened to the muffled yelling from the attic and hallway. The kids were still and quiet as they hide their faces in my sides. They were now scared of what was going on. My daughter had tears quietly falling down her face. I held them both even tighter and whispered to them.

"It will be ok, I won't let anything happen to you. I love you both so much. I've got you."

Tears were once again streaming down my face. Shoots started over and over. I laid flat on the ground with both kids under my arms as I tried to protect them from any stray bullets. I heard several hit through the wall above us. The shoots were getting louder and louder. My ears were ringing as I tried to keep both kids quiet. I think they might be too scared to scream which is bad but good at the same time.

The closet door slowly opened a little.

"Riley? Are you ok?"

It was Officer Jim. I whispered back to him.

"Yes, I think so. Is it safe for us to come out?"

He turned the light on for us and opened the door. I sat up with the kids checking them both out thoroughly. We were all good, we were amazingly not hit or injured. He helped me up as I held both kids on my hips. I was not going to let them go. He whispered to me.

"You are going to want to cover their eyes as we make our way down the hall and down the stairs. They don't need to see the carnage that has taken place. "

I held them both tight and into my shoulders.

"Please close your eyes."

They nodded and hide their faces in me again with their eyes closed. We started out of the room and down the hall. Officer Jim had a hand on me to help led me through it all. I had to step over several bodies and debri on the floor. We made it down the stairs to find several more officers standing at the bottom waiting for us. I stopped on the bottom step to ask.

"How is my husband? Is he ok? How badly did they hurt him?"

They gave me a small smile and the officer to the side answered.

"He is good, they only knocked him unconscious. He has a mild concussion but that is all. He was very lucky. You all are very lucky. He is waiting for you in the ambulance outside. He would not leave until all three of you were with him."

I smiled back.

"Thank you all so much"