The Longest Night

The later it gets the more uneasy I feel. I still haven't heard from Mackenzy. The last thing he said was he was in town and there was tear gas and shooting. I am worried. I am sure he is fine. He's probably fine. It's been an hour since I heard anything. Now an hour and a half. Still waiting. Still hiding in my room. We turn the generator off so the lights go out. Two hours pass. I call him and he doesn't answer. Mackenzy shows up at the door. He is here! I immediately feel better. We have decided that I should stay here at Papa Dieudonne's. Jacques and Mackenzy are going to stay here and so is Fre Ejen. I carry my bedding to the roof and lift the ladder so no one will know where I am if they come in and if they start to come up I can crawl down the other side. There is a window that I can slide my foot in as a ledge. It's high up but I have a clear landing area. The stars are my ceiling. 

Bright and sparkling. The moon is beautiful. 

It is 1 am before I can fall asleep. I'm awoken to the dogs growling deeply. Rocks are thrown over the fence and roll on the cement out front. Mackenzy is up in an instant along with Jacques and Justa. We all hold our breath to listen. I can hear Fre Ejen go outside. It sounds like someone is walking around the back side of the house. They said they didn't know who it was but at least it wasn't a group. Every twig that snaps has everyone up. Every dogs bark has my hair standing on end. I feel terrible that everyone in this house has to be awoken because I'm here. I feel good about being on the roof though. I stare at my sparkling ceiling and play escape routes over and over in my mind. I could crawl down the side of the building and go through the neighbors yard. If I step on the tin roof surrounding me it will make noise. No, I can't do that. If I hang on the cement ledge of the house I can inch my way to the back of the house, drop down and run through the bush. Aunt Beck kindly thought of the jumping down into the outhouse hole. Thanks Beck but I'm Praising the Lord it's too small. Sleep will not be happening tonight. Doze off. Wake up. Every sound wakes me with a start and then I hold my breath. It's been a long night but the sun is rising above the mountains turning the sky and ocean to gold. I made it through the night. The sun is rising. The sun is rising.