New Kid On The Block

Ch 7: Nightmares

"Kalla!" My mother hushidly cried running into the room, her usually tidy hair was pulled back in a messy bun. I looked up from the animal figurines i had been playing with. Daddy had gotten them from all over the world and they were my favorite things to play with. "Get up!"

Before i could ask why she grabbed my hand dragging me across the living room. Behind us there was a loud pounding sound coming from the front door and someone yelling but it was muffled. It could have been Mrs Martha yelling at Mr Thomas but that usually only happened at late at night. And it was only noon now, so that didn't make sense.

"Mommy?"

"Shh, don't speak, they don't know you are here." she whispered to me pulling me into her room. She let go of my hand to lock the door before racing over to the closet. She threw open the wooden folding doors, throwing boxes out onto the bed. "Oh god, Brandon, he's still in school, they'll go there next." She whimpered to herself. I wanted to say something but then I remember I wasn't suppose to speak.

She pulled out a long rectangular metal box and dropped it on the bed. I knew the box, it was the one Daddy and Mommy both told me to never touch.

I jumped at the loud cracking noise followed by a thump from back in the living room. The yelling was getting louder, and I knew for sure it wasn't Mrs Martha this time.

"Shit."

It was the only time I've ever heard my mother and it left me confused. She grabbed me by the shoulder dragging me to the closet before pausing. "They'll check the closet, they always do. Under the bed, Kalla. Quick!" she hissed desperately, her nails digging into my skin." I dropped to my knees sliding underneath. Immeditely she began taking the boxes that shed thrown out of the closest and shoving them under the bed next to me. Blocking me in and anyone from seeing me.

The door knob rattled and there was more yelling, this time just outside the door. Then the pounding started again, and i could here the wooden splintering.

"Stay quiet, sweetheart," she whispered peering down at me. "And don't come out, no matter what okay. Good girl."

She stood up knocking around boxes she hadn't been able to get too. I could here her trying to get open the metal box, the keys jingling against it with a strange urgency. The door buckled inwards with a loud snap, and from a gap between the boxes I saw it land inside of the room.

"Don't move." my mom hissed, and there was the sound of a gun cocking. I recognized it from the shows Dad watched sometimes that Mom would argue about me seeing. But I liked watching Top Shot and the challenges the contestants had to go through.

"We just want to talk." One of the intruders said.

"Bullshit. Now turn around." Through the gaps i could see my mom walk around the edge of the bed putting herself between me and the men. She was still wearing her brown and white slippers we got her for Mother's Day last year.

"Sure thing, sweetheart."

I couldn't see what or why, but there was suddenly was a burst of loud pops like the gunfire on the show. I bit my lip, remembering mom saying not to speak and clamping my hands down over my ears.

"Hold your fire!" a voice yelled. "The damn bitch is dead." I shook my head, keeping my eyes closed curled up on my side. Even as i felt the stream of warm liquid soaking the floor beside. "Who's this?"