Hunting Season

Tears poured down my eyes as I struggled to find an opening. I tried to push up the desk but my frail arms were no match.

Julius: Listen to me baby, you need to get out of here, where is your mother? Is she ok?

My father exclaimed as he grabbed my hand.

Harlow: She's fine but I can't leave you!

I screamed slamming down my hands in frustration.

Julius: Baby you don't have a choice, my leg is broken and trapped, there's no way I'm getting outta here, but you can.

Margret: Oh my God Julius, are you ok?

My mother ran to my father and held onto his hand, trying to conceal her shock as she stared at his bloody body.

Harlow: Mom, we have to get him outta there, he's gonna die.

I said as I shakily grabbed her shoulder, pleading with everything I had

Julius: "Listen to me," He said as he grabbed onto her hand. "You have to get her outta here, this place is gonna collapse as any minute.

Margret: What about you?

Julius: I'll be fine just go

I watched as he nodded his head and took one last glance before pushing me away. My mother clasped my hand as she pulled me away from him. I grabbed onto everything I passed but nothing was stable enough to keep me. I pleaded no through my shaky voice as I was pulled out of the room and pounded on my mother's hand to let me go.

I dropped to the floor as another explosion shook the apartment and crawled back to his office to see nothing but black smoke. I coughed and waved my hand around as the smoke slowly evaporated. I could hear my heavy breaths and felt my heartbeat vibrate through my shirt as I stared at the huge hole in the ground where my father's office was. I stared down into the collapsed floor and saw nothing but rubble as I felt myself being pulled away.

My feet carried me through the house but my mind wasn't there. I felt as though my body was on autopilot but everything else was in a paralyzed panic. I could no longer feel the heat of the fires around me, it was as though my body had gone numb. I had just seen my entire world fall into a pit of black and I just felt...empty.

I felt myself resume as the loud car horn blared in my ear. I winced and held my head as my mother clutched me in her arms. We turned back to the apartment building as it went up in smoke. I felt small drops of water fall down my face as the rain began to pour, completely soaking us. Hiding my face in my mother's stomach I sobbed.

Harlow: Mom, dad he's...

Margret: I know honey, I know. Everything we ever owned just went up in smoke.

Harlow: What are we gonna do?

Margret: Honey I don't know, we have to find a place to stay, we can't stay here anymore.

I nodded as I took one last glance