THE DEA RAIDS MY HOME

 

Here's a random picture of me baking before I tell this story. And a real quick disclaimer. 

Disclaimer: I was 11 when this happened, so I may be shaky on the details. It was a super stressful situation. Also it may be triggering for some people to read. 

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I wasn't sure what time it was when the door burst open and people dressed in all black holding large guns entered our house. I just knew it was loud and they were everywhere all at once as though they appeared like magic. 

I woke up suddenly and clutched the blankets to me because I was already frightened of the dark. I wondered if the monsters I feared had come to life and breached the front door. Except for the monsters calling to one another as they entered rooms and swept their beams of light around it was quiet. Almost eerily silent without the normal night noises that I never knew were comforting. Everything, even the animals, had gone into freeze mode as if we didn't move they wouldn't spot us and we could stay safe. 

Eventually one of those beams of light swept into my room. It felt like forever, but it was really probably only a matter of seconds. I remember the shocked eyes and sad eyes when they looked down and saw a scrawny blonde child holding onto a stuffed pound puppy and blankets for dear life. I read the big block letters "DEA" across the front of the person's uniform. 

They told me, "stay here. Do not leave this room. Everything is going to be okay." Then called on their radio that they had found me instead of an empty room. 

I stayed in that room for what felt like hours. I heard them yelling at my stepfather. I remember feeling happy that they were yelling at him. He was such a horrible man that I thought how good it was that someone was shouting at him the way he shouted at everyone all of the time. 

Eventually almost all of the people left taking my stepfather and his dad who lived next door with them. Later I would find out they also took both of his brothers, one of whom lived in a different state as well as countless others in their network. At the time, I had no clue what it all meant except that we were moving in with my grandparents, and we had no money anymore. 

I vaguely remember getting ready for school and being told to keep this a secret, which meant I promptly told my two best friends. Then my teacher. Then the guidance counselor. I guess you could say I've always been good at secret keeping. 

This was the first time I was in the midst of a raid by a federal law enforcement agency...but it would not be the last. 

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