Homework! All week. Everyday’s been a routine of papers, and long online testing. I’m sorry that I haven’t gotten to the blog lately- but hours upon hours of essay questions have made me sick of typing
Because of the workload, I haven’t really gotten out since the last post either. Dad has been off flying, so no chance for scuba diving. Although I have been able to go snorkeling occasionally, and I found that there’s a turtle who likes hanging out at one of our favorite reefs. Even though these posts aren’t as frequent as usual (since we’ll be here for a lot longer), I will try to post them more than I have been. I hope you like this one!
Yesterday I was enjoying a peaceful night outside in the silence. This night was just like the rest that week- finishing up homework before bed. Suddenly I heard a scream from inside the house. “Get it! Get it!” I heard.
Grace creaked the door open. “Mom needs you.” She said.
From the time I heard the shouts, I knew exactly what was going on. When I stepped in, I saw Joshy standing on our coffee table, and mom in a ready stance, holding the broom like a hockey stick. “There it is.” She said pointing to the wall across the kitchen.
There, still as a statue, stood the cockroach- twice the size as last time, and just as hideouse.
Mom desperately tried jabbing the insect from across the kitchen, but to none effect. In retaliation, the creature scurried down onto the other side of the trash can.
For defense, I grabbed a nearby sandal, and got ready to smack it incase it came near.
I knew this was probably the last showdown. It had managed to dodge all of our cockroach motels, so it probably had a sure hiding spot that we would never find. If we (or more specifically Mom) didn’t kill it, than it would slip back into hiding and hatch an army. This was a now or never situation.
Using the broom, mom whacked the can repeatedly, but the bug on the back didn’t budge.
I inched my way around the trash, seeing if I was able to squish it with the sandal in my hand.
The bug was to far around for my reach, but just a few feet away was the back door. As a last effort, I yanked the door opened, and hopped back, hoping that it would find its way out the opening.
Everyone waited for a moment in the silence, nearly breaking under the suspense.
In a last attempt, Mom snatched a beach towel, and started cracking it like a whip against the can.
Nothing happened though. Everything just stood still.
Then, unexpectedly, the bug zipped across the wall, and slipped through the crack between the door and the threshold. Taking the chance, mom lunged forward, and slammed the door shut.
A moment passed as we all processed the fact that it was outside. Then suddenly, you could feel the tension in the room dissolve. Josh hopped of the table, and we all took deep breaths. The beast was gone. It couldn’t haunt our house, our dreams, or our food cabinets anymore.
But was it truly gone? I wondered. Are bugs ever really gone?
I’ve noticed that at night when I peek out the back, through the light bleeding in from the kitchen window, I can always spot three cockroaches clinging to a concrete wall. It’s almost as if they want to remind us that they’re still there.
Because no matter how much you’ll clean, set up traps, or push them back out, they’ll still be there. They are like the thing under your bed, or the flash in the corner of your eye. Always out of reach, but present. Hiding in the drains and the gutters.
Waiting outside your door.
Happy Halloween!
You make me laugh. Love your blog.
I can handle spiders, flying insects, I’ve even gotten used to mice. But I will never ever not be afraid of cockroaches. They’re disgusting and hard to kill and they scurry around with evil intent. I’m very sad this story did not end with it dying a painful death.
Even living in a tropical paradise has it’s moments!!
I think cockroaches are SCARY, NASTY, and cool.
i hate cockroaches!!! and I don’t want to see one again