Waving frantically at the street car, Anna finally caught the attention of a passenger who held out her hand to help her on. Anna had just witnessed a murder in China Town. The killer saw her and ran after her. Anna's hands shook with fear. Two more stops and she would be home.

At home, pale and trembling, she fell into a chair. Her mother ran to her and Anna told her what had happened. Anna's mother called the police, and they took down a description of the man. The police officer told them to keep their doors and windows locked for the next few nights.

Anna slumped over in the chair. What a day she’d had! She wondered why her mother was not angry with her for going to China Town by herself.

"You are going to sleep with me tonight young lady,” is all she said.

That night Anna heard glass break. She reached for her mother, but she was not in bed. Her mother had called the police and they had caught the burglar as he started to go through the window. Anna saw the man's face and knew he had come to take their lives.

, from Albuquerque, NM, has a new murder/mystery novel that has just been released and is working on getting several children manuscripts considered for publication. Her newly published novel is Marti Brown and the House of Face. You may visit her website at:

© 2008 Teresa Allen. Original for CCF (Allen grants CCF  first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology).