November 17,1996

I remeber that night. It was a cool, autmn night. The leaves were beginning to change. I remember watching you playing the new Playstation you had gotten for your birthday. I had always asked to play it, but of course to you I was just an annoying little sister. Mom was in the kitchen, baking cookies because she had been assigned the job by my teacher for our Autumn Party. I had been begging, you Marcy, to let my play just one game.

Next came a sound that would forever change our lives: The sound of a door opening. Now, I have no idea what you were thinking, but when we heard the sound we both looked at each other with wondering eyes. You shrugged, insuring me it was nothing. But I think you were trying to convince your self of that too. We both decided that we would tell mom.

We went to the kitchen, where a man with a black ski mask had his hand over Mom's mouth. He pointed to you.

"You, you come with me or I kill her", he said pointing to Mom. You walked slowly towards him, but he didn't let go of Mom. Then he pointed to me.

"Get on the ground."

I knelt on the ground. He threw Mom down beside me, and tied our hands together. Once that was done, he grabbed you. Mom gave you a look with her eyes, and I read that look. It was a simple but important message: Don't. You ingnored Mom though, because we both loved Mom with all our hearts, and couldn't bear to see her hurt.

An hour later, you came back, once a blooming flower, you looked wilted. You sank to the ground by me. He must have been just waiting for you to crack, because when you did so would I. And he was right. But you were too strong, and I think that aggitated him. He cut the rope that tied me and mom together, picked me up, and threw me by you. He held a knife to Mom's neck.

"Is this what you wanted?" he asked you. Your bottom lip quivered. But Mom gave you a look that I will never forget: I'm ok, stay strong. Then she looked to me, and her look said: I love you. You were brave, Marcy. You were brave, even as he made us watch him cut into Mom like she was nothing. You hide my eyes, even though I know you wanted to hide your own. You let him take her jewlery, and get away. Then you were brave enough to clean Mom up while I cried. The you called the police. You were thirteen, Marcy.

I will never forget that night, Marcy. But soon, neither will he.