Double Down (a double standards series) Dark Romance (Part 7)

Numb Empire

Tick, tock.

Tick, tock.

They say that time stands still when a major life events takes place, rather it be happiness or sadness and tragedy. It's very true, for I witnessed it the first time today.

The night started off grand. We was one big, happy family celebrating Kings birthday. None of us knew that in a few hours our lives would change forever. At the end of the night we bid our beloved grandparents farewell not knowing it would be the last time. We all made our way to a family operated nightclub to continue the celebration in high spirit's. We danced, drank, and joked about as cousin's do. Us single one's were scoping out a potential bed partner for the night while the married one's sat back enjoying the conversation and drinks. We'd been there maybe an hour when Demarco got an alert. Seeing that it was his mother a concerned look crossed his face. In seconds he had us all gathered up including the men and on the way to the scene.

Nothing could have prepared us for what we seen. There was a ring of fire that surrounded our grandparents. My Pop Pop laid across my G mama's body. We wasn't close enough to determine if they were even alive. Outside of the fire ring were more that twenty men firing rounds into the circle where my grandparents laid. Immediately we went to work taking them out. As soon as the coast was clear uncle Dem, my Pape, along with the rest of us burst through the flames. "mommy, Pape". Demarco cried as he dropped to his knees beside them.

Blood oozed from their bodies from multiple gun shots. G mama's eye's were faintly open but she managed to reach out to Demarco. As my Pop Pop was rolled off of her we saw a severe gun shot to his lung area. He had to have at least fifteen wounds whereas my G mama had about seven but only because he shielded her taking the brunt of the attack.

I stood back taking the scene in and all the blood as I fingered the pocket watch in my pocket that my Pop Pop had recently given me. Not that blood or killing bothered me, hell I've had my own several kills by now but it's an entirely different situation when you're watching two of the most important people in you're life taking their last breaths. It was if we all stood still, time frozen, numb. Of course our bodies went through the motions of getting them up and to help and safety but I can't recall a word that any of us had said. It was if my body was here but I was watching this play out from afar. My G mama reached out to Demarco more diligently telling him what most say during time's of goodbye. However her actions have us all a glimmer of hope that maybe she'd survive this. Through our tears and worry we rushed them to the Den for treatment.

King cradled his mother's head on his lap as he held his Pape's hand duiring the ride. He kept repeating his love for them as they assured him of theirs. Demarco sat beside King supporting the other half of my G mama's body while squeezing her hand. His other hand rested on my Pop Pop's head begging both to hang on through his tears. My own Pape still held onto Pop Pop's body as he supported him on his lap. He as well offered pleading word's. I, Heir and Sire sat together in the back watching this all play out. We would lean over the seat speaking to our grandparents, exchanging word's of love as we all cried.

We all chipped in to carry them into the facility and that's where it really hit hard. My mother Miri, came running towards us and when she saw the severity of the situation it was like life left her body. A wail so heart wrenching escaped her as she raced toward them. "Pape, Pape, noooo. Don't leave me, please don't leave me. I need you. I can't make it without you. Please Pape, I love you too much". She sobbed.

Pop Pop offered her a smile and touched her cheek. "My precious baby girl. You are my heart, my angel. The day you were born I held you in my arms so tight and knew I'd never love anything more than you. I panicked when you took your first steps and I secretly cried when you married. You was daddy's girl but I know Cole will take as good of care for you as I did. To the moon and back I love you".

She sobbed as she held his hand to her face. "Pape noooo, don't tell me goodbye, nooo".

Pop Pop was pulled away and placed on the table and mom saw G mama for the first time. "Mommy nooo...please, I'm begging you both. I love you, I love you."

G mama motioned Mom to bend down. She placed a kiss to her cheek. "My special girl, I love you so much. You're so strong Mirimosa. You've got so much more to look forward to and accomplish. You made my life perfect".

G mama was whisked away then and placed beside her husband. I watched As my mother stood frozen as tears flooded her face. Her body trembled and it was if she couldn't breath. Pape was busy on the phone speaking to the men left back at the scene so I walked over to my mommy. If was if she didn't see me. Her eye's were glued to her parent's but I still pulled her to my side to offer support.

The next several minutes were a blurr as we watched doctor's and staff scurry about trying to save them. Then I saw G mama reach for my Pop Pop's hand as they shared a few sweet word's. Instantly I knew my G mama was leaving us and a sobbed escaped my lips as I saw her eye's close for the last time. My mom lost it. "No, no, no. Do something save her."

Demarco let a wounded wail out as London mustered up enough strength to release a maddened roar. Demarco jammed his gun into the doctor's head but thankfully Sam caught him in time. Demarco fell apart right before my eye's. Never had I seen him so weak. His knees hit the floor as he laid his head on his mother's stomach and cried like a baby. Sam stood behind him hugging him. Pape dropped his phone and rushed to mom trying to lead her out before the king perished but she fought him. I saw King leaned up aginest the wall alone as his body was racked with emotion. I went to him and embraced him as he sobbed on my shoulder. Over his head I saw Sire and Heir consoling each other as well and that's when it happened.

I had the pocket watch in my hand as my eye's locked onto my Pop Pop's eye's. He seemed to speak to me through him. It was if he was telling me to be strong and keep the family together. He mouthed "I love you". And just like that was gone. I watched the most fearless, strongest man I've ever known take his last breath. My own breath hitched but I was torn from my grief as a ear piercing scream ripped through the room. My mom kept screaming as she broke my Papes hold and threw herself at Pop Pop. Shaking she cried. "Wake up Pape, wake up. Don't leave me please. Open your eye's." .

When she finally realized that her begging was futile she backed away slowly shaking her head. "No, no. This isn't happening."

Pape tried to approach her but she refused his comfort. Backing herself up to the wall, she slowly slid down it and sat numb other than her tears. My family had fallen apart, crashed and burned right before my eye's and I felt helpless. Eventually Demarco stood up and Mom looked up at him. Both of them looked lost. Demarco went to her and fell back to his knees. My mom flew into his arm's and they sat in the floor holding onto each other as they sobbed. King stumbled over and fell down beside them. Immediately they pulled him into their embrace. We all watched as the three siblings held onto each other as they hurt. One by one we all exited the room to let them grieve together and say their goodbyes to their parent's.

Still covered in our grandparents blood we all sat in the Den in silence. Each in our own thoughts and sorrow. We did decide to not wake the younger one's yet. We would break the news in the morning. Pape still made calls to collect information but fell apart when my grandparents, his parents entered. "Tell me it's not so son?" Conner asked.

My Pape could only nod his head and cry. Conner took a seat and wept as well. As I sat there my mind wandered off and oddly enough I pictured the little coffee shop girl. I saw her brown hair and big blue eye's and even though I didn't even know her name I found myself wanting to tell her about my Pop Pop. Thinking of her brought me a bit of comfort. The doors slung open and my thoughts evaporated. Demarco, mom and King walked out with their heads high. Still covered in his parent's blood Demarco roared. "By the time I'm done the city of New York will be covered in blood. I won't rest until I hold the head of the person responsible for this. Prepare for the battle of your life time".

Everyone stood to the King and agreed to do their all to find these bastards and make them pay. Conner spoke up. "I'm coming out of retirement for this. I'll be with you every step of the way".

Conner went in the room alone next to say his farewells as Demarco had men follow any and all leads. Mom took a few steps before collapsing. We all rushed to her and Pape scooped her up. Having a doctor look her over, I watched As my Pape inserted a needle into her neck to ensure she slept.

Life as I knew it no longer existed for any of us.