Red

It was the fall of 2003. Our 5th child, Hannah was just a few months old.

It was in the middle of the night, and I had my usual night bathroom visit. The bathroom door was just a few feet down the hallway from our bedroom door. I would keep the light on in the bathroom all night, so I could see Hannah, if she needed me, for a diaper change, or for a nursing. She was co-sleeping with me and my husband at the time. Our bedroom door was open half-way, to let some light in.

After my visit to the bathroom, I had laid back down in bed. I am very nearsighted (I didn’t have my glasses on), so what I saw next, was a blur. I looked out our door and saw a red glow in the hallway, right in front of the bathroom. My first thought was “FIRE!” Just as I was about to jump out of bed, this red smoky glow had floated into the bedroom, at the foot of our bed, around my husband’s side of the bed, and quickly went under the bed. As I lay there, watching this blurry glow, I got a real eerie feeling that it wanted Hannah. I put my arms around the baby, and I remember thinking “You are NOT getting her”. I fell asleep, chanting that over and over in my mind.

I don’t know what it was, but I do know I wasn’t dreaming. I was fully awake.