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We could do this!
Men’s voices echoed through the quiet of my home, as did the sounds of breaking glass and the shattered pieces crunching underfoot. I closed my eyes, forcing the sheer panic down. I wanted to run and scream. But I couldn’t. My family needed me.
I forced myself to look across the landing to where Bella was standing, still pressed against the pillar. The lawyer turned librarian had nerves of steel.
The sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs had my heart rate accelerating.
One, two, three.
I swung around the pillar with the gun loaded. I squeezed the trigger and fired at the two men in black trotting up the stairs, armed to the teeth. The first shot hit the man on the left, knocking him back.
I managed to get another shot off before the second man turned his gun on me. I ducked back behind the pillar as Bella’s gun went off, once, twice, three times. Damn she was good with that gun.
There was a heavy thud and I sneaked my head around the pillar to see the two men, fallen and most likely dead, on my stairwell.
“Re-load.” Bella whispered to me. I nodded, opening up the canister to put more rounds into the barrels.
There were shouts of alarm and more men ran our way, then the shooting started. The bullets from the machine guns sprayed the stairs and our columns like rain from a storm. The noise was deafening.
I dropped the gun and put both hands over my ears, glancing across at Bella as she clung to the column. We didn’t have a chance against these guys.
Run. I mouthed at her. And she nodded.
We waited until the shooting stopped, then Bella bent her knees like a sprinter and bolted for the hallway. The shooting started again, puncturing the walls around her.
“It’s just the woman.” I heard one of the men say. “We aren’t here for them.”
I glanced down at my shotgun. Did I dare pick it up again? My arms were shaking now. I wouldn’t be a good shot. So, instead of firing on them again and risking getting hit, I ran for it, making it down the hallway with ease compared to Bella’s escape.
Our bedroom was on the right and I threw the door open, then slammed it shut again. The locks on these doors were heavy and old, as were the doors. I slid the top bolt into place, clicked the lock, then ran over to the armchair next to my bed.
It was heavier than I thought, but between pulling and pushing I managed to jam it up against the door just as someone on the other side wriggled the nob.
“Oh god.” I jumped into the chair, weighing it down. The banging at the door got louder and the sun outside still shone too brightly.
Please. I begged to whatever deity was listening. Please save us.
“We only want the freaks.” The man outside my door yelled through the wood. “Get out of the way and we’ll leave you and the children unharmed.”
I didn’t believe him, and I couldn’t risk it anyway. I didn’t yell back but, in my heart, I heard the words I wanted to say anyway. No fucking way.
I pushed my feet into the carpet and leaned back, using all my weight to keep them out as long as possible. We just had to hold on a little longer.
Chapter 10.
