by Jennifer Ospici

Id left the house for only half an hour， to go to the bank， but as soon as I got home， I knew something was wrong. There was a motorbike on the drive and， as I got out of my car， I could hear its engine still running， but no one was around. I live alone， next to quite a busy road， but I hadnt been expecting anyone. There are lots of entrances to my house， and I checked to see if any were open. At the back， I found smashed windows. This is the house I grew up in. I returned to it 16 years ago， from Belgium， after my husband died， wanting a secure home for our two daughters. Its surrounded by woodland but Ive never been fazed by the isolation. Now， however， I was going to have to act alone. The thought didnt worry me. Im in my 60s but Ive never been fitter， and Ive certainly never felt physically inferior to anyone， male or female. It just never occurred to me to get back in the car and drive away. Although there was nothing of great value in the house， the idea of someone entering uninvited 2）incensed me—I wanted them gone.

我出门才只有半小时，去了趟银行，刚刚回到家门口，就发觉哪里不对劲了。车道上停着一辆摩托车，我下车时就能听到摩托车的引擎还在运转，但是周围空无一人。我一个人住，家靠近熙攘的马路，此时我明明没约人到我家里来。房子有许多入口，当我检查看是否有打开的门窗时，在房子后面发现了被打碎的窗户。我是在这所房子里长大的。十六年前，我丈夫去世后，我从比利时回到这里，因为为了我们的两个女儿，我想要一个安全的家。房子周围树木环绕，但我从未因为这种隔离而感到烦恼。现在，我却要独自面对，不过我并不担心这种情况。我六十几岁，但我的身体棒极了，我从未觉得自己在体能上比任何人差，无论是男性还是女性。回到车里然后离开——这种想法我从未有过。虽然家里并没什么特别值钱的东西，但是一想到不请自来的人，我就怒火中烧——我要让他们离开。

So I quietly unlocked the front door， went inside and listened. I could hear an intruder in the top of the house， moving around noisily. I walked back outside and pushed the motorbike， which went down with a crash， the engine cutting out as it flooded.“Thatll make your life more difficult，” I thought， as I returned inside. Making no attempt to be quiet this time， I went over to the 3）mantelpiece and took down the 4）rifle that hung above it. Its always been there—my parents were collectors. It was an ancient， harmless specimen， but I wanted to feel its weight as I stood downstairs and waited.

Someone appeared then， at the top of the stairs， wearing a motorcycle helmet. But he wasnt alone. There was a second helmeted man with him， carrying a 5）rucksack. I hadnt expected two. Gripping the rifle tightly， I spoke clearly and calmly—saying that Id called the police. It was a bluff—the council had dug up the landline for repairs， and I rarely get mobile coverage. The first man came down the stairs and I swung the rifle as he closed in， bashing him around the legs. The second wasnt far behind—I grabbed at the rucksack as he drew level， but he pushed roughly past. Knowing they werent likely to get far， I went back out of the front door， still carrying the rifle.

The two men picked up the motorbike； one was desperately trying to start the engine. He was shouting， “Push me！ Push me！” at the other. I grabbed him and held on tight， then gave the other a whack with the rifle. He 6）snatched the gun out of my hand and tossed it on to the floor.

Realising they werent going anywhere on the bike， they fled into the woods， taking the rucksack with them. Suddenly unsupported， the heavy machine collapsed on top of me， pinning me to the ground.

Several people drove by without stopping before a lorry slowed and came to a halt in front of the drive. I was still trapped beneath the bike， covered in mud and blood—my hands were bleeding and Id wiped my forehead， so I looked pretty awful. The lorry driver was able to contact the police， who arrived within minutes. Their dogs sniffed out the thieves and their 7）swag pretty quickly. I started to shake a little afterwards—8）adrenaline， probably—and felt a sudden urge to talk to my daughters. They seemed unsurprised Id behaved as I did； Ive always believed in acting instinctively and would certainly have regretted it if Id done nothing.

I was in court when my visitors were sentenced， and got to see them without their helmets. They were both in their 20s， and couldnt stop smiling and sniggering—I think they were embarrassed. One of them received a three-year 9）custodial sentence， the other nine months. I feel sorry for them—seeing them， and hearing their defence， I could see theyd been let down by society and were living on its outskirts. Locking them up certainly wont help. Both men admitted they were terrified when they saw the rifle， and I certainly dont think they meant me any harm. Thieves want to work unnoticed and it was unfortunate for them I came back when I did. The element of surprise gave me 10）the upper hand.

我悄悄地打开前门，走进去并支起耳朵听。我能听见一名不速之客在楼上动静很大地四处走动着。我走回屋外，推动摩托车，摩托车轰隆一声倒地，引擎遇到水熄火了。“这样一来你想逃就没那么容易了，”我心想，随即走回屋里。这次我没有刻意放轻手脚，我朝壁炉台走去，取下挂在上面的来复枪。这支枪一直挂在那里——我的父母是收藏家。这是一支没杀伤力的古老样品，但我站在楼下守着的时候，我想感受到它的重量。

随后有人出现在楼梯顶部，头戴摩托车头盔。但并不止一个人。还有另一个戴着头盔提着帆布包的人跟他在一起。我没有料到有两个人。我紧握来复枪，清晰且平静地说，我已经报警了。这只是虚张声势——固定电话线正在市政维修中，而我这里也几乎没有移动电话信号。最初见到的那个人走下楼梯，当他走近我时，我挥动来复枪，狠狠地击中了他的腿部。另一个人也离我不远——他走下楼梯时，我一把抓住了他的帆布包，但他使劲推开了我。料到他们应当走不远，我便往前门追了出去，手里一直握着那把来复枪。

这两名男子推起摩托车；其中一个拼命地试着发动引擎。他朝另一个人喊：“推我！使劲推！”我一把抓住他，死命不放手，然后用来复枪杆往另一个人身上重重一击。他从我手里抢过来复枪，把它扔到了地上。

他们意识到摩托车坏了，就带上帆布包逃进了树林里。突然，摩托车支撑不了自身，这重重的机器倒在我身上，把我压在地上。

好几个人开车经过，但是都没有停车，后来一辆货车减速并在车道边停了车。我还被困在摩托车下面，浑身都是泥和血——流血的双手还擦过额头，所以我看起来相当糟糕。货车司机联系了警察，警察在几分钟内就到达了现场。警犬嗅到了窃贼，因此我们很快就找到了他们和赃物。我后来开始有点发抖——可能肾上腺素的问题——感到急切地想和我的女儿们说说这段经历。她们并不惊讶我会那么做；我总是相信凭本能去行动，如果我什么也没做，我肯定会后悔的。