AWAKENING

By: Caroline Shrednick

"What was that, was that a tongue? Oh my God, that's gross!" I was sitting, watching Ali McBeal with my husband, laughing my head off, and singing to the music of "Some Enchanted Evening." All of a sudden, two masked gunmen enter into our family room and tell us, "Don't move or we'll kill you". Do exactly as you're told or we'll kill you." I looked at my husband, almost surreal, saying, "Is this happening? Is this the television? What is this?" And the men said, "Shut up, don't move."

One of the gunmen walked towards me and pulled off the necklace around my neck, a gift from my husband. They then forced us into the living room, tied us up with neck ties and tied us to the coffee table. The men started to proceed with questions - "Where's all your jewelry? Where's your money? Do you have guns?" Completely in a state of shock I answered, "I only have the jewelry that I have on. I have no gun, I have no money." "You must have money" the gunman screamed. Whimpering, I replied, "We don't have any money. Whatever I have is in my purse."

They proceeded to yank off all the jewelry from my body with force. I said, "No, please, no, not that ring - that belongs to my grandmother, that was her wedding ring! Please don't take my wedding ring", and I started to cry and wet myself. All of a sudden, I go into a dark space. I couldn't catch my breath, my body went limp and my mind went blank. "Please God, help me. Help me see the light."

Some time passed, they kept coming back in the room, saying, "Where is the money? Where are the jewels"? And the conversation continued for what seemed to be eternity - "Oh, is that a picture of your child? Are you Jewish? Who is that? Oh if I'd have known you were Jewish, I would never have done this." Meanwhile the other man stood with his foot on the back of my neck and a gun to our heads. The pressure was so intense due to previous neck surgery.

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