𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽 𝚂𝚃𝚁𝚄𝙲𝙺 (𝙳𝙿𝚂 - 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚘𝚗)

𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚈-𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁

✍︎

      It was early the next morning when I began to stir in my sleep. The house was silent.

       Until a small click was heard in the hallway followed by footsteps.

       I had been in and out of sleep for the past few hours, my mind on the events that had happened earlier that night.

    I rubbed my eyes turning over in my bed. I cursed myself silently as I looked at my bedside table realising I had forgotten my glass of water.

        Groaning, I sat up swinging my legs to the side as I shoved my feet into my slippers. I moved towards the door, yawning as I pulled it open and stepped into the cold hall.

      I shivered before my eyes fell on my brothers door. I made my way towards it, grabbing the handle before thinking it over and letting go. He had enough on his mind and was probably exhausted.

      I let go of the handle and wrapped my arms around myself as I made my way towards the stairs.

       The bottom floor was quiet as I made my way towards the kitchen. My eyes not noticing the slightly ajar door into the study.

      The kitchen was dark, with no light but the moon shining through the windows. I made my way around the table towards the cupboard that held the glasses, opening it and grabbing a glass quietly.

       I flipped on the tap allowing the glass to fill as I looked out the widow. The snow was blanketing the ground and was falling softly.

Peaceful. That's what it was.

    The calm before the storm.

      I turned off the tap as the water got closer to the top and turned back towards the door.

         I had barely made it a few steps out the door when the glass fell from my hand, shattering on the ground and my ears began to ring. I froze on the spot my eyes trained on the study door.

       That was where the bang had come from and my mind went to someone breaking in. As silence filled the house once again, I realised if someone had broken in it wouldnt be this quiet. I crept over the broken glass, coming to a stop outside of the study.

      I pushed open the door, looking around. A strong smell catching my attention. It didn't hit me until I looked around, my eyes catching the cloth on the table.

That's when it clicked.

       "Listen very close you two, see this?" Our father said showing us the black object sitting on top of the cream cloth. Neil and I, both eight, looked at it confused, nodding our heads "under no circumstances are you allowed to touch it, okay?"

"Daddy, Whats it for?" I asked looking down at the object

      "Just in case anything happens" Neil looked up to our father confused

"Happens?"

        "Yes, so I can protect you two and your mother" he told us wrapping it up and placing it in the drawer. He looked up seeing both Neil and I's worried faces, came around the desk and knelt down infront of us

        "Dont be worrying about it, I'll doubt ill ever have to use it. It's just in case. Okay?" He said holding onto both Neil and I's arms. We both nodded to him as he smiled pulling us into him and squeezed us. He let us go, and stood up "now, go and play you two"