![1000314918.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmeHTqEVyhJZrdfzzoovf2F8zij6q5ahnJADXVDsWuQqep/1000314918.jpg) It has been 7 years but the memory of the armed robbery incidents in my house is still as fresh in my head as if it occurred yesterday. **It was on the 12th of October 2018**, the day I was really scared and frightened, the day I thought I was going to lose my loved ones to armed robbers that invaded our house. I have never been so frightened and scared as i was that day.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING?

| |- It was a hot night, every member of my family was asleep except for my mom who happened to be working the night shift in the hospital. In the middle of the night I started hearing loud noise and voices of people in our compound. Before I knew it, there was banging of the window and doors which startled me greatly. I woke up to see my dad who was alerted I went to him for shield as I didn't know what was going on.The armed robbers were so many and greatly armed. They surrounded the house and destroyed the entrance of the door breaking in. Five of them came into the room we were and my siblings and I all hid behind our dad who was trying to make a phone call to the police. The armed robbers suspected what he was trying to do and threw the phone off his hand while beating his chest abusively with a well sharpened matchet.

HOW DID YOU FEEL?

| |- **Watching my dad scream in pain while blood was ooozing out of him** was very frightening and scaring as I began to cry and shout begging the armed robbers to stop. One of them shut me up by landing a heavy slap on my cheek. I cried uncontrollably My senior sister held my siblings and I by the hand as we began running to seek help from our neighbor close to us. luckily for us we escaped the sight of the armed robbers as they were so busy destroying things in the house and taking our valuable items.

EXPLAIN WHAT LED TO THE FEAR

| |- The gun shots, masked robbers, the sharp knives were all frightening for a child of 10 as I was at that time The greatest fear was when I saw my dad being beaten with a matchet and I thought the armed robbers were going to kill him as they held him Captive. I was so scared of losing my dad the thought of it alone made me cry so hard but my senior sister reassured me that nothing was going to happen to our dad. She was also very sober but she put me in her embrace and comforted me. ![1000314913.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmW5uJXVPyVZnuLZXi8mSokQicUAKWvFz86MizEPyomKTN/1000314913.jpg) [Pexel](https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-in-white-shirt-calling-on-her-cellphone-7699313/)

HOW DID THINGS END?

| |- After my siblings and I escaped successfully, we went to our neighbor's house knocking and pleading for help and shelter. They took us in cautiously as they alerted the police. **Fortunately, the police came in on time and 8 out of the 10 armed robbers were caught and handcuffed.** We all went back to the house which was now a disaster. My main concern was our father, he was alive even though he was in so much pain and bleeding profusely. I cried tears of joy and pain. My mom was informed about it and she rushed back home to give first aid to my dad, being a nurse. She couldn't believe what had happened as she was away. She felt really sad. Our valuable items were stolen alongside my dad's money and other furniture destroyed but we were grateful that we were all alive.

HOW DID THIS MOMENT STAY WITH YOU

| |- After the incident I developed nyctophobia which is an extreme fear of dark places especially in the night. I found it very difficult to sleep at night except with bright lights. **On most nights I had nightmares of the armed robbery incident and the sounds of gun** shot makes me scared as it refreshes the memory of the incident in my head. I also became very cautious in the night and prayed often before going to bed. After that day we never experienced any armed robbery incident again. I invite @rebeccamon, @lhorgic and @richy20 *_Photo credit from @bossj23......._*. Nobody was harmed in the photo.