𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐾𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛.✔️

#16

Essence

"Honey, just breathe it's ok" my mother days the moment we enter an empty room. I squeezed my eyes shut shut, tears streaming down my face.

"What's wrong with Dad?" I cried out, but my voice was muffled as she covered my mouth with her hand.

The memory of my dad's cold, pale face lying on the floor flooded my mind, matching my mom's now wet, tear-streaked face she shuttered.

"He's okay, everything will be okay," she kept reassuring me, but I could hear voices approaching—those same people who had done something to him.

My mom crouched down, pressing her finger to her lips, silencing my whimpers and sobs as she pushed me into a dark, cold closet. Her other hand rubbed circles on my back.

The voices drew closer, and my mom's eyes widened in fear. She grabbed a sock and stuffed it into my mouth before whispering, "Be quiet, don't move, don't make a sound, and you'll be okay," in my ear.

I nodded frantically, but when she started to leave, I grabbed her arm, panic rising within me. Why was she leaving?

"It's okay, I'll be right back. Close your eyes like I said. I love you, Essence," she whispered, gently prying my arms from her shaking body before slipping out of the closet and closing it behind her. Darkness enveloped me once more as the voices entered the room.

"Ah, so she shows herself," a deep, menacing voice growled, and I cracked the door open slightly, just enough to see my mom standing in front of five masked men.

"You monsters coming into my ho—" My mom's words were cut off as a bullet goes right through her head. The sock falls from my mouth but I quickly place my palm over it not trusting myself to be quiet. Even with tears filling my eyes I noticed a snake tattoo on one of the men's arms, disappearing into his sleeve.

They dragged her away, and my muffled cries intensified, hot tears streaming down my face.

Mom!

"Where's the girl?" another voice called out, and my eyes widened in terror. I shut the closet as quietly as I could, squeezing my eyes shut and wrapping my arms around my legs, trying to stay still until I heard sirens right outside the house.

Cops?

Were they coming here? "Shit, let's go. We'll come back for her."

"It'll only take a second-"

"We don't have a second their almost. Shit... through the window-" glass broke and their voices fade off into the distance.

I'm okay.

I'm okay.

I chanted in my mind, but suddenly, a gasp escaped my body and I opened my eyes to a gray ceiling.

"You're awake," a voice scared me, I look to see Zail sitting at the foot of the black bed I was on, with a smile. Suddenly memories flood back to me.

Wait.

"You," I pointed at him, scrambling off the bed, black dots dancing in my vision as my head pounded. "Get back to bed, Ess," he said calmly, walking toward me.

I pointed at him, signaling him to stay where he was, shutting my eyes for five seconds to regain my vision and ease the pounding.

"Don't come near me, you- you" what the hell were they? I yelled, but all did was look at me apologetically.

"I didn't want this to happen, I—" I cut him off.

"Who are you?" I demanded, his face scrunching in confusion.