The Intruder

Mom wakes up to the sound originating from outside their bedroom. She doesn’t know what time it is. But she can tell that it is still quite dark outside.

She hears footsteps. Someone seems to be coming down the stairs located near their room. But she can’t really be too sure.

The dogs are quiet. If it was an intruder burglarizing their house, the alarm system would have gone off. And the two layers of canine protection would have surely made noises. The bulldogs outside would intimidate to a heart attack anyone who dares trespass. And the maltese guarding inside the house produces a shrieking bark that would irritate a thief to no end.

Tatay, who is ever the light sleeper, also wakes up to the sound. In the darkness of their bedroom, they eye each other as he motions for Mom to keep quiet as they listen to what’s going to happen next.

The footsteps seem to have reached the bottom of the stairs. And they are going towards their bedroom. As the steps reach the front of their door, they suddenly stop.

Then, the doorknob was turned rather slowly. A gentle push of the door produced a light squeaking sound. But it was enough to be heard in the silence enveloping the entire house.

Tatay and Mom keep still, pretending to be asleep.

The intruder enters the room. He certainly knows where he is going. His shadow moves carefully and remains low, not knowing that my parents already knew of his presence.

He goes around my parents’ bed and positions himself right by my Mom’s foot side of the bed.

Then he grabs my Mom’s legs and shakes it purposely.

“Mama, wake up! Mama… Mama… Wake up!”

It’s their dear three-year-old apo, my adorable nephew, AJ. He wakes up 5:30 in the morning and decides to proceed to his grannies’ room to give them their wake up call.