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Hi, listeners. I'm Marlene Martinez and I have a story I want to tell you.

A story of an unwanted visit with a distant relative.

So gather round and listen close.

When I was growing up, whenever we started hearing sounds from the basement

and the house got cold and the lights went out, my whole family would go hide in our bedrooms until Uncle Iggy was gone.

At first, Justin, I hid with our parents in their room.

We'd stay up playing Monopoly and watching Jumanji and Page Master on VHS.

By the time Justin was 12 and I was 10, we were old enough to stay in our own rooms when Uncle Iggy came up from the basement.

I took a lot of pride and Mom and Dad trusting us like that, but Jess, it wasn't enough for her.

She wanted to see Iggy.

I remember the night Jess convinced me to break my promise to Mom and Dad.

It was in the winter, December or January, I think.

Dad was stuck at the office because of a snow storm.

Mom went to bed after dinner, one of her migraines, her bad days.

We hadn't gotten a visit from Uncle Iggy for at least six months, so maybe Mom and Dad were a little relaxed.

Or maybe they just really trusted us.

Either way, when we started hearing the familiar banging and thumps from the basement, just looked at me and winked.

We were sitting on the couch eating ice cream and working on a puzzle.

Wait to see if Mom calls. Jess whispered eyes on the kitchen. That's where the door was that led to the basement.

It was a slim door, old wood with a padlock on the outside.

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