Maya Mutakina sat up in bed and screamed.
Still half asleep, she felt the fear over her like a suffocating blanket.
She screamed again as the noise from her window grew louder. "No! Please! Don't come in here!"
She was about to scramble out of bed, but her legs were tangled in her blanket. Breathing hard, trying to choke back her panic, she tugged herself free and ran towards the door, just as her father burst in.
"Maya, what is it?"
She ran behind him for protection and pointed to the window.
"Someone is out there,"she panicky managed to say.
The noise at the window grew louder.
"What?" He walked towards the window. He must not have had time to find his spectacles in the dark immediately he heard the noise. He shook his head as if trying to wake himself up.
Maya tried to stop him, but he plunged ahead towards the window. "No dad, wait-" He was always so careless. Didn't he ever stop to think about the danger?
Maya moved back and bumped into her dressing table.
"Ouh! " Her phone fell and crashed to the floor .The noise startled her.
She wanted to run, run from the room as well as the house but couldn't leave her dad .
Why was he laughing?
"Come here, Maya."
"What?" She pushed back her hair with both her hands.
"I said come here."
"What is it dad?" She took few unsure steps towards the window.
Mr Mutakina, smiling and shaking his head, held back the curtain with one hand and pointed outside with the other. "Here's your burglar."
Maya could hear the tapping noise again.A loud tapping followed. Still halfway across the room, she didn't dare go closer. "It's a tree branch right?"
"Right."
"What on earth happened?!" Maya's mother came rushing into the room and switched on the lamp. "What's going on in here? "
"Nothing to be concerned about."Mr Mutakina said, staring out at the sky. Full moon. Look at that. The moon's always so big in august. "
I don't want to hear about the moon. I want to know what all the screaming was about. "Mrs Mutakina said sharply.
Mr Mutakina let the curtain fall back into place."Maya heard a tree tapping her window."
"A tree?"
Maya sighed loudly. "I thought it was a prowler, "she said sitting on her bed. "I was asleep and I guess the noise woke me up and-"
"You shouldn't watch the news before you go to bed," Mrs Mutakina said. She walked over and squeezed Maya's hand. All the talk about that burglar-"
"Well, there is a Scary Street Burglar, mother," Maya said, her voice rising. " I didn't imagine that, you know. Someone has been breaking into houses on Scary Street and-"
"We've lived on Scary Street for 7 years," her mother said, pushing Maya's hair back off her forehead. "We've never had the slightest problem. Don't you ever comb your hair?"
"I like it this way."
"Hey , what's that you're wearing chubby one? "her father walked over staring at her nightshirt.
"Don't call me Chubby one .You promised, Maya cried."
"You know she's so sensitive about that, "Mrs Mutakina scolded her husband."Why do you insist-"
"What are you wearing? "Mr Mutakina inquired, pulling Maya's sleeve.
"uuum. ...it's one of your old pajama shirts, I guess."
"I've been searching all over for that, "her father shouted, looking up at the ceiling. He was always complaining directly to the heavens. "I've spent hours searching my dresser and-"
"Sorry dad. I thought it was old."
"Of course it's old that's why I like it .Why can't you put on your own clothes? I don't wear yours do I?"
Maya laughed. "You're welcome to, Dad. Anytime."
Mrs Mutakina glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. "Why are we exchanging clothes at three-thirty in the morning? "
"Sorry,mom," Maya said.She slid under her sheet. I'm okay. We can get back to bed now. "
"What time did you get back home tonight? "Mrs Mutakina asked ." Late, I bet."
"Yeah. It was quite late. I'm not sure when. "
"Quite late or very late?"
"Come on mom,"Maya said while sitting up. "College is to be opened in a week. Moha and I haven't had a chance to see each other. He was away on a vacation with his parents for two weeks and-"
"Well, that's why you're screaming your head off, imagining burglars. You're exhausted."
Her mother's explanation for anything that ever happened was "you're exhausted. "If you failed an exam or didn't feel like eating, or were in a bad mood it had to be because you were exhausted.
"Mother, for the last time, there really is a burglar on Scary Street. It's all over the news practically everyday."
"it's so hot in here,"her mother said. Her mind always wandered from one place to the other never could she stick to a subject like a bee buzzing from one nectar to another. ..."Why don't you open that window?"
"I- I really don't want to,"Maya said, feeling a little of the fear creep back.
"Well then, let's go to bed. Are you coming, Muta?
She pulled her husband's sleeve.
"Yeah. Sure. Come here a minute, Maya. I want to show you something. "
"Huh? Can't it wait till morning?"
Maya out of nowhere felt very sleepy.
"No. Come on." He grabbed both of her hands and pulled her out of bed.
"I want to show you something that will make you feel better. "
His expression grew serious as he pulled her across the verandah to their bedroom.
"Muta, really , let her get some sleep. She's very exhausted, " her mother said following behind.
"This will only take a second. I want to calm her down,"Mr Mutakina said, switching on the lights.
They stepped into the large bedroom, all shades of purple, which always smelled of Mrs Mutakina's perfume.
Maya's father let go of her hands immediately they reached his table.
He pulled the drawer out and reached into the back to pull out something. "Here it is," he said , a smile on his face.
He held up a small silver pistol.
Maya's mouth dropped open in surprise. " a gun? Is it real?"
Mr Mutakina dropped it into her hand. It felt much heavier than it looked and was cold to the touch." Of course it's real and it's loaded."
Maya got scared and quickly handed the gun back to him.
"Hey don't look so scared"
"Put it away, Muta,"Mrs Mutakina said from the other side of the bed.
"I bought it right after I heard about the first news of the Scary Street Burglar. I just wanted to show Maya that If he ever tries to break in here, I'll be ready for him."
"Thanks Daddy,"Maya said yawning. Normally she would have made a joke or something but she was just too tired.
"The gun is always here in this drawer," Mr Mutakina said, replacing it carefully before closing the drawer.
"Good night, "Maya said.
"Good night. " Her mother was already under the covers.
"I want that shirt back tomorrow, "Mr Mutakina called after her.
Maya crept back to her room, switched off the lights and climbed to her bed. The tree branch was still tapping gently against the the window. She pulled the covers over her head and tried to ignore it.
She tossed and turned but couldn't sleep despite her weariness. What a terrible night!
First her argument with Moha then the false alarm about the burglar. She thought about Moha. She had been so glad to see him. It had been two whole weeks, after all. He looked so handsome as always. They has so much to talk about. So she didn't mind when he suggested they borrow his father's car and drive up to Light House to talk. Light House, was one of the prettiest spots in darkside. It was also the favourite spot for most people.
Moha drove really fast.Maya had to plead with him to slow down. He pulled into a secluded spot overseeing the sea and cut the engines and lights .
"So tell me about your vacation. Did you meet any cute girls? "Maya joked.
Instead of replying, Moha pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. They kissed, a long, deep kiss.
"Moha, I thought we came up here to talk. I haven't seen you for weeks ."
"We can talk later. "
"No, Moha-"
He didn't want to take a no for an answer.
"Come on Moha! "She reached for the door handle.
He looked very surprised. "Hey-what are you doing? I thought you'd be glad to see me."
"I said I wanted to talk."
He apologised and apologised but as far as she was concerned, the evening was already ruined. What was the matter with him, anyway? He had never acted like that before.
"Let's start over."He suggested, looking very unhappy .They tried to have a normal conversation then, but it didn't just work. Maya still felt surprised and angry and Moha was obviously angry too. A short while later they drove home in silence.
As Moha pulled up the drive,he apologised once again and really sounded sorry. She kissed him quickly on the cheek and ran into the house, more upset with herself than him.
Now as he turned over the bed, trying to get comfortable, she blamed herself for spoiling their reunion date. Maybe she had overreacted. Sure, he came on too strong even selfish at times but he really loved and cared about her.
If only she could stop thinking and get to sleep. It must be four already . She punched the pillow. The tree tapped against the window, three short taps. She picture her father removing the pistol from the drawer with that smile.
The solver pistol. "The gun is always here in this drawer," he had said.
Despite the heat in the room, Maya trembled.
There was something so frightening about that little silver pistol, lying there in the drawer, just waiting to be used