We were driving out of Iowa. Shea and I were in the back of the car. Monte was driving, My mom was sitting in the passengers seat. Shea was waving at some girls for the third time now. He was seeing how many people would wave at him and if they didn't wave, he would flip them off. We were on our way to Valley Fair ,which is just outside of Minneapolis. We were staying in St. Paul. When we pulled up to the hotel, we jumped out. We took the suitcases up to our room. It was around 4:00 or 5:00. We decided to go visit my dad, who lived with Danny, my second cousin; Irene, my second cousin's pregnant girlfriend; my great Aunt Yulanda; and her boyfriend, Pat. When we got closer, I saw a church. I didn't realize it yet, but that was were Guy shot and killed two police officers and a police dog a year before. (I was lost in the thought trying to get it out of my mind.) We pulled up to the house, I was there, a year before, but I didn't recognize the house. We got out, and we went up to the door. My dad answered. He was so happy to see me. We walked in, we all sat down. My dad and I went to the store a half a block down. We talked about me staying for a week. I grabbed some pop. We paid and left. When we got back, I let Shea have a sip of pop. He ended up drinking the whole thing. We talked a little, got directions from Pat, and left. Pat must have given us the wrong directions, because we didn't get back until late. By the time we were there, Shea and I were asleep. I woke up in the hotel, I got ready and ate breakfast. As soon as everyone was up and ready, we left for Valley Fair. We paid and went in. we went on the Corkscrew first. Later in the afternoon we went on Raging Waters and the Water Park. My mom made all of us go on the Ferris wheel to see where we would eat. Monte bought a Pinky and the Brain T-shirt. As soon as it was dark, we found a spot to sit and watch the light show. We ran out as soon as they were done. We went back to the hotel. The next day they dropped me off at my great aunt's house. They were cooking supper so I watched t.v. for five minutes. We started eating, Danny's dogs Happy and Slayer started to bark. My back was turned to the door. I heard someone walk through the door. I thought it was just a friend of Danny's .I would soon find out that I was wrong. "Get down," the guy yelled. Without paying attention I turned around to face a gun in my face. Everything went blurry. My dad pulled me down and shielded me . He kept repeating 'Don't hurt her she has only been here a little bit.' That's about the time I went deaf and blind at the same time. I'm was guessing this happened from shock. Then I only heard one shot I thought he shot it in the air but that one shot would effect everything with just that one shot. We ran upstairs and went on the roof. I was as scared stiff as a board but I still managed to pray. Irene and I prayed and prayed I just couldn't stop. I thought I was for sure going to die that very night. Neighbors cam out asking what was going on. Danny yelled to all of them to "Call the police Pat has been shot!" When I went down stairs I saw the paramedics carry Pat out without a stretcher. I hugged my dad ignoring his blood stained shirt. We went outside and walked around. My dad told me not to say anything to the police. I didn't hear anything and only saw his legs and some of his clothing kind of. The police asked if I saw or heard anything I said no. We went to the police station where they were then interviewed, everyone except me of course. We were stuck at the police station tell 1:00 A.M. it felt like all night. First they wrote what they saw and heard, then the authorities asked questions. I sat in the room clutching my troll bag. It had my clothes in it that was supposed to be for a fun weekend. My grandma and uncle came, and took us home. I fell asleep, and when I woke up they were talking. The subject was based on the tragic event and me. A week later my grandma said "I will hire a therapist and they will help pay thebills."I didn't want to go, I considered myself a tough cookie. "No grandma!" I replied shaky. I just wanted the past to stay behind me, and not to have some person dragging it up every week. It was bad enough as it was I felt no one would understand and know how to comfort me. I was right. I still have not regained the trust and safety I once felt when being around people. A couple of weeks later they caught the guy. They found him hiding under a stairwell in an abandoned house. It turned out to be one of Danny's friend's brothers. He was looking for drugs to sugar top the moment. I couldn't believe that I went through that because someone had an addiction to drugs. The court found him "not guilty" .we were all shocked by the verdict. I thought maybe if I heard the guy's voice again I could tell if it was him or not, and then testify against him. I could have identified the gun at least. Maybe it would have made a difference. If I would have just said 'yes', but I didn't .I think this helped my dad to think that I was going to be able to deal with this. I still live with that question. My grandma said if I hadn't have been there my dad would of went after the guy and gotten himself shot. I guess I'll never know if I could have many any difference in the decision the jury made.