Page 73 of Fractured Souls

As soon as I start to pull, I hear a bang, then pain like I’ve never felt before explodes in my gut. My eyes go wide, and I drop my gun. It goes off as I hear someone yelling for others to get out of the way.

I drop to my knees, looking down as I touch my stomach. There is so much blood; I've never seen so much red before. Not even when I was being beaten within an inch of my life. The beatings hurt less than this does, but at the same time this pain is fading to a dull ache.

I feel my body going lax, and my eyes start to flutter as eyes I've seen before come into focus… green. So green and beautiful. They remind me of my favorite trees in Virginia. Green eyes is saying something, but I can't hear anything.

I let my eyes fully close as I fall.

There she is, standing in front of me in her favorite dress. It's white with yellow sunflowers on it. She always was so much more girly than I was. Her hair flows in soft waves down her back, the same hair I have. She smiles at me, and I smile back. She looks so happy, beautiful, and peaceful.

Before I can reach her to finally get that hug I’ve been aching for, she’s glowing. Fire. She's on fire. She's burning alive. She smiles sadly at me. No!

“Mom!” I scream.

Then everything goes black.

To be continued…