Man Robed in Black

I had one of those never-ending bad dreams last night.

I was home, though it seemed more like my parents’ home, but with an above-ground lower level. When I looked out the window, I saw a man robed from head to toe in black. He was just pacing back and forth the length of the lawn. He was very menacing, but he wasn’t doing anything so I didn’t feel like I could call the police.

After a while, I looked out again, and he was up against our back door, right under the window I was look out. He was trying to jimmy the lock, so I finally called 911. I told them who I was, what was happening, and the operator said they would have someone out right away. She asked for a description, so I went back to the window and looked out. He was no longer at the back door, but was back pacing the yard. He had taken the hood off his head, so I could give her a good description — brown hair, mid-ear length on the sides, but an inch below the neck in the back; scruffy mustache and beard; brown eyes; about 6 feet tall. His robe was open, so I could also give a description of his clothes — faded blue jeans and a blue and white plaid flannel shirt.

I paced around the house, after hanging up with the 911 operator. I heard more commotion downstairs, and ran down to see what was up. One of my dogs (I don’t actually have dogs right now, just cats) had been shot in the leg. I scooped him up, and was going to run up the stairs, but looked out toward the back door, and saw that the hooded man was standing there with a gun. He shot a couple more times, but then had to reload, so I ran upstairs with my injured dog and my other dog following behind.

When I looked out the window again, the man had a baseball bat in his hand, and was going to force his way in. I grabbed my cell phone, called 911 again, screaming at them that he was coming into the house, where are the police you promised? I scooped up my injured dog and one of my cats. We all headed out to my car, while I was still on the phone. My other dog followed, but the other two cats stayed in the house. I hoped they would just hide.

The 911 operator assured me that the police were on their way, and suggested that I don’t get into my car. I heard glass breaking in the house, and fumbled with my keys.

That’s about all I remember…