The redhead walked slowly down the aisles, moving as far away from the baby section as possible. She had seen the Byrne's shopping and wanted to stop any speculation. She couldn't tell him, not yet. Certainly not when he was with his mother. Jac walked swiftly towards the exit, wanting to get away from them. She could hear the posh chatter coming from Anne-Marie and Joseph's soft, gentle voice replying. Before she got to the exit, a loud bang echoed throughout the store. A gunshot. Several black-cloaked figures entered the building, carrying guns and other weapons.
"Get down on the floor, move and I shoot." One of them yelled. Jac trembled with fear, the shouting triggering memories of her past. Memories of what her foster father did to her. One of the men grabbed her by the hair, annoyed that she hadn't responded to the order. He forcefully pushed her onto the floor, next to the other civilians there. Joseph caught her eye, worried about her safety. The robbers were sifting through the tills, taking the money. Others were stealing the jewellery and others were watching the people.
"Jac…" Joseph whispered. She ignored him, still angry at him for leaving, for thinking everything was just the same. He gave up, not bothering to try again. To the left of them shots went off again. Screams rung out in the department store. Doctor instincts took over as both Jac and Joseph scrambled to their feet to help. A masked figure turned around, angry at their disobedience. He lifted his shotgun, pointing it a Joseph before quickly turning and shooting. The sound bounced off the walls. Anne-Marie looked at Joseph, tears in her eyes as she looked him over for injuries. Only to find his eyes staring at Jac, who had slowly fallen to the floor, and now laid in a pool of her blood. Her eyes flickered and then slowly shut. And Joseph fell to the ground, silently screaming and crying. The love of his life was dead. And he never told her how he felt.
