«I was about to close my eyes when I heard a strange noise»…
*Para mis lectores en español: Esta es una historia publicada en la página de In-Company Ec. La puedes leer en este link.
When I was a kid, my birthdays were very special and expected, like everyone else at that age. However, mine were a bit different because of dad. When he was at sea for work, on my birthday I used to get a telegram. A person would knock on our door, ask for me, and give me an envelope with a message from dad. The excitement I used to feel at that moment was huge.
When dad happened to be at home, everyone in the neighborhood knew it was my birthday. First thing in the morning, he’d play a birthday song called Las Mañanitas, at full volume, and would come to my room singing loudly with mom and my brothers. To be precise, they would enter my room, stampede-style and make a scandal.
One night, I went to sleep filled with excitement. The next day was my 13th birthday! Dad was home, so there was going to be a morning scandal for sure, happy birthday wishes all day, a yummy cake later on, and many other sweets…
At some point in the middle of the night, I don’t know why, I opened my eyes. The night was clear and I could see my entire room since one of the walls was eighty percent glass. I was about to close my eyes when I heard a strange noise… It was the door lock. I looked that way and went petrified.
A medium-height, plus-size woman was standing towards my closed door. Her head was facing the lock and her hands were holding it. She was very focused, and at the same time, the movement of her body made me think that she was chuckling. She was wearing a long sleeve white sweater and a black skirt; her hair was black and had a perfect long braid down to her waist.
My heart was pounding hard and I couldn’t move. Many things passed through my mind, like, my only way out was blocked, or, I was probably dreaming. I didn’t know if what I was seeing was real, but there was only one thing I was sure of: if I scream, move abruptly, or get out of bed, she could turn her head and show me her face.
So, I slowly took the bed sheet and covered my head; I closed my eyes and started to imagine that I was walking through a beautiful forest in the middle of the day. I did not open my eyes again, and I can’t tell when I finally fell asleep.
At dawn, some very strong knocks on my door woke me. While I was listening to Las Mañanitas, my dad was telling me to open the door. He could not believe -and was a bit disappointed- that I locked my door and ruined his traditional serenade.
MJ
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Mi terapia es escribir. Me desahogo escribiendo sobre la vida, mis aficiones, aprendizajes, bienestar, historias, libros y recetas. También me hace feliz conectarme contigo.