My hands were shaking. Given the current circumstances, this was not a good thing. I was desperately tying bed sheets, pillowcases, socks, anything I could get my hands on together to make the longest rope I could. It didn't help that, in the corner of my eye, through the window, I kept glimpsing a blonde girl with wings. Yeah, I must be going crazy. But Sola was keeping it together, getting me new sheets and trying her hardest not to cry. I needed to be strong for her. I needed to be fast, to ignore my hallucinations and get us the heck out of here. I could hear them climbing up the stairs. They'd already shot our mother. And they nearly had us.
why, dad? Why would you leave us to face your demons?
I was tying one end of my makeshift rope to the fan when they stopped at our door. Sola and I froze. They tried the handle and I smashed the window. Sola was sobbing. I fed rope through the shattered window, as they started banging on the door. Then one of them thought to use an axe.
'Sola.' I knelt down and looked her in the eyes.
'You need to climb down. Can you do that?' She nodded bravely and I smiled.
'good. I'll be right behind you, okay?'
she hugged me, and I lifted her up to the window. She started shimmying down.
She's always been so brave, my little sister.
The door splintered. I grabbed a shard of glass, ignoring the sharp pain and the trickling blood. If anything, that made me feel better.
The guys broke in, one of them holding a tiny handgun, another an axe, and the third one of my own kitchen knives. The bastard. The last one clearly didn't need a weapon.
'Where is he?' Gun guy snapped.
I took a deep breath and tried to disguise my fear.
'you know he didn't tell me. You know I haven't seen him in years. I'm guessing you must be pretty desperate, to come after us. Sorry to disappoint.'
Knife woman kicked the wall. 'She isn't lying.'
and just like that, I was shot. In the stomach. It was agony, and I collapsed, but I could handle myself. I could still save her. I stayed down for a second, trying not to scream, before jumping up and slicing the shard across Gun Guys face. A piece of the glass broke of in his eye, but I had time to stab Knife Woman in the heart, had time to smirk at the shock and anger in her fading eyes, before two strong hands closed around my neck and twisted.
The last thing I saw was blood.
The last thing I heard was a crack.
And the last thing I thought was Sola, I'm sorry...