Prologue
Four men burst into the Casden town bank one early Monday morning, all wearing masks and having guns at the ready. Two tellers and one aging man stand before them as victims, trying to put on brave faces to save their lives.
“Open the safe” one man said, his big, demanding presence causing the banker to shiver as he fumbled to open the safe containing the bank’s money.
One man shoved the piles of money into a bag while two others watched the other teller and the aging man, and the other big man keeping a gun on the man who unlocked the safe.
Bang!
The leader of the group twisted around to see one of his partner’s guns smoking and the aging man on the floor, a red stain on his stomach.
“What did you do?” The man’s eyes filled with terror as he shuffled the other two men out and fairly threw the other out like he was a rag doll.
People started to fill the bank, including the young, nineteen year old daughter to the injured man.
“Papa? Papa, can you hear me?” She knelt beside her father.
“Millie?” The man’s voice was weak and in pain.
Millie twisted around. “Has anyone gone for the doctor?”
Just then, the young Doc Jacobs pushed through the crowd.
“Stand back” he told the crowd.
He got two men to carry the man to his office while he prepared to work on him.
The daughter sat beside her father as he lay on the small cot in the doctor’s office. The doctor had told her that the man’s chances for surviving were very slim.
“I don’t think I can make it” The man slowly with pain.
The daughter struggled with tears. “I know”.
“I can’t…leave you”
“I’ll be okay, Papa. You can go now. I’ll be fine” The daughter wiped a tear from her cheek. “You’ll finally know what Heaven is like. You’ll see Momma again”.
“I don’t want to…leave you Millie”
“I’ll be fine” Millie reassured him again. “I love you”.
“I love…you too” Her father smiled before his hand lost its grip and his last earthly breath left his chest in a slight heave.
Millie bent over her dead father, allowing her tears to flow freely. She had no idea how she would make it without him.
Author note alert!!!
I know it seems kind of cliche now, but please read on!!