Heritage of New Heaven

Chapter 28

Rose

I slow down as I recognise the area around my old home. Its strange that I think of it as my old home, I have found a home among others. But that doesn't matter right now, my family is going to die. As much as I want to deny it I still feel bad for my family to have to die this way, I can at least offer them a swift death if that is what is necessary.

I won't be worried if my brother dies, I just hope my parents are dead first so they won't have to endure the pain.

The trees grow thinner and I see my house through the trees. Not close enough to do anything and just out of shouting distance.

Shouting distance, the fatal flaw of this plan, there are already five figures outside. To standing, Kate and my ex-therapist Victax. On their knees in the dirt slowly turning to mud in the rain is my parents. My Mum clutching my Dads arm as she watches the fifth figure who is cowering against the house, my brother. Abigor. My damned, unholy, and unforgiving brother. Mum calls him Abe.

Shouting distance and I could have barked a warning as Kate points a shiny black object at my mother's head. A gun.

I scream a warning at them but the howling wind and rain tears the sound from my lips.

Abe is shaking against the house, either from cold or terror as Victax calmly speaks to him. He gestures with his fingers; come here. My Mum holds Dads arm tighter.

Victax holds up three fingers, Abe shakes his head; no.

Victax takes down another finger; two. I realize that he is counting down.

Another finger. One, Kate clicks the bullet into place and gets ready to fire at my Mum. I don't here the click or hear my Dads yelling as I trip on a root and fall onto the muddy ground.

I scramble upright and continue my run to the house. I still couldn't yell if I wanted to the air is gone from my chest in the fall and the wind is too hard anyway.

Victax takes down his last finger and a shot rings through the forest.

My Mums body is dead before it hits the ground. My Dad makes to lunge for her body, but Kate points the gun at him. He remains motionless, grief flickering in his eyes.

I guttural cry leaves my body. No this can't happen.

'Mum!' I say hoarsely.

I don't take my eyes off the scene five hundred metres in front of me.

I fall again. A branch colliding with my chin as I crash to the ground. The impact making my teeth sink into my bottom lip. Pain jolts through my jaw as I feel the warmth of blood trickle down my lip.

The rain seems to get harder.

I get up as fast as I can, my ankle gives a throb of pain. I look down and see my white hospital-like shirt already stark red with blood from my chin. I look past the ruined shirt to my foot. Nothing looks wrong with it but when I put my weight on it pain flairs up my leg to my knee and I nearly fall down again. I look back up at the house. Abe is still against the rocky wall of the house and this time it is Dad looking down the barrel.

Victax has one finger up.

My brother looks at Dad for what to do. Dad shakes his head.

What?!?!?

Dad is going to willingly die for Abe? Apparently so, Victax sees this too and laughs. He wiggles his lone finger at Abe once more before he nods to Kate and she fires. I shut my eyes and through my feet I can feel the thud of my father's body as it hits the ground.

I fall to my knees. Some part of my brain registers the jolt of impact and pain, but that part is small. Very small.

My only living relative is now Abigor. The boy named after the demon duke of war.

I fist my hands in the soaking ground, crushing the water from dirt, leaves, and sticks.

I look up at the broken sky, drops falling on my face and running down the crevices.

I scream to the heavens, to God, to Luna my Hearth Mother.

And I am afraid.

Afraid it will be the last sound I make