Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

“I need you to stay quiet and out of sight,” Marie said, searching her two babies’ faces. “Joshua, take care of Annie, okay?”

His lips form a hard line across his face and Annie looked scared, her sweet two-year-old mind incapable of understanding. Joshua wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

Marie placed her index finger to her pursed lips, smiled, then closed the cabinet door. Gripping the gun behind her back, she listened as the intruder searched for them.

She turned facing the locked door. He was getting closer. She listened to his footsteps, watched the doorknob shake.

The door shook, bouncing in its frame as the intruder kicked, once, twice. The wood splintered with a sickening sound and cracked around the hinges. One more kick and he would be in. The gun wobbled in her hand. It was heavy, and terror threatened to consume her, as unshed tears blurred her vision.

“This isn’t helping. You’re all they have.”

She inhaled, planted her feet hip distance apart, squared her shoulders and adjusted her grip. Steady now, her terror receded, replaced by anger.

“How dare you break into my home? Threaten my babies?”

A final kick sent the door flying inward, crashing to the floor, it skidded towards her. She didn’t flinch as it stopped inches from her feet. Face to face with the intruder he stared at her for a moment before he howled. It almost sounded like laughter, but she wasn’t laughing.

Marie took aim and fired.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer