[ChupaCabras]

I was about 6 and living in Mexico City. I was still too young to comprehend the seriousness that surrounded me in that particular house. All I remember before the event was consistent praying and how the house was kept lit all night with candles.

All the kids where put to sleep and were guarded by a grow up until we all fell asleep
and as far as I can tell, considered safe for the night. At that age I considered this to be 'normal' behavior. This particular night was about to be different.

I woke up in the middle of my slumber, the adults in the house were loudly praying and fear was thick in the air.

I was half asleep when I awoke. I could see shapes and shadows as the room glowed yellow red with the flickering flames. Everyone was praying there was conviction in the prayer but also fear. The floor, walls and ceiling were concrete lending itself to an eerie echo. the source of the commotion? A common kids marble, bouncing throughout the whole house on its own, tic -toc throughout all the living quarters. up and down in traveled on its own heavy prayers interrupted by the tic-toc of the marble as it traveled up and down the room. It made its way to the bathroom were someone closed the door and trapped it there. but it didn't matter it still tic-tocked with out stopping.

Fear was thick in the air, the loud prayers, the light of the candles the insistent tic-toc. My grandmother as the patriarch of the family took it on herself, bravely she grabbed a broom and a dustpan, she opened the bathroom door and scooped the bouncing marble in one swoop. quickly they opened the door leading to the street were she tossed it out of the house. The marble could be heard tic tocking outside trying to get in the now closed door. after several hours the tic-tocking grew fainter and fainter. I grew tired and fell asleep. never heard back, but then we weren't there for long after that experience.