The Invader

The Invader(Gasmi OLfa) After watching the news, I went to my bed. I read some verses of Qur’an, and then I slept. In the middle of the night, when the dark colour had covered every thing; I heard a strange sound coming from outside, but I tried to ignore it in order to sleep again. After some time, I heard another sound but its origin became nearer.

My wonder was extreme and an expression of fear and concentration changed the contours of my face: “Who is making this noise? Who has entered our house?. Is it a thief? Or a criminal!? Shall I sleep and ignore the sound? Or shall I do something?” I was saying to myself.

Terror invaded me and my fear doubled when I heard a strange tumult. I guessed a glass had been shattered. My fear lasted for several minutes during which all my body trembled and the most terrifying thoughts invaded me. Although the strange sound arose and died away, my fear went on expecting a terrible thing to happen.

As the origin of the sound approached, my terror increased and beneath the pressure of fear, I decided to do something so that the invader could not enter our room. I licked my pale lips and whispered in broken sentences: “I must ----do ----something ----otherwise----, all the members of the family --- will be victims of the --- criminal”.

I heard another sound and my imagination told me that the criminal is becoming ready to invade our room through the open window. Upon this alarm, I left my bed fearfully, I looked around trying to see my sisters, but unfortunately, it was too dark to see anything. Even the moon and the stars refused to help me with their light as if they were plotting with the criminal for a successful invasion.

I stood up in front of the window in order to push the invader when he tried to come in. When I was about to push, I heard: “miau ---miau---miau…” The surprise made me cry: “A cat!” I shouted. “It is really unbelievable!” I added.

The cat jumped into our room. I only saw its two shining eyes. The cry swept by me instinctively and terrified my sisters and my parents. My father came, my mother followed him. They turned on the lights. I saw then the cat, which was so frightened, trying to go out. My father opened the door and the invader left fearfully.

I looked to my sisters and a storm of laughter struck me. I thanked God because what happened was totally the contrary of what I had anticipated. Remembering the moments of panic and terror; I prayed that this would not happen again.

Words were unable to express my feeling then. But, what was sure and strange, is that I felt happiness and joy. Not only because the invader was the lovely creature, the most admirable pet, but also because I had the opportunity to discover how much my parents loved me as they were ready to sacrifice their lives in order to save mine. This was what my father told me after the departure of the cat.