My wife by legality cradles my daughter's head. Alexandra is crying, her hair matted and her dress skewed. Blood is everywhere, on the table, on my wife, on Piper's face. It smells like death and panic as I rush towards my daughter, wrapping my arms around her.
"Piper!" I shout, and she coughs blood. I wipe the blood away from her paling face. Alexandra continues to cry, taking heaving breaths to calm herself.
Anger surges in my chest. I can feel myself scowl, I feel like my words are just me spitting fire. "Who did this, Alexandra."
She only shakes her head, sobbing even more. I cringe at my wife, feeling more disgusted than I have all of my life. Except for when…
"Did you know?!" I shout, gripping Alexandra's shoulder. She is startled and shrieks. I back off, as now my Piper is reaching out to me.
"Pa... " Piper grips my shoulder, her whole upper body shaking. I feel tears trickle down my cheeks, the panic of the room finally taking over me.
"I'm so sorry for forgetting what you taught me," Piper's voice is shaking, she's exerting too much energy.
"Pip…"
"You… you taught me piano…"
"You changed the melody every time."
Piper's eyes become more glazed as each moment passes. Then, she mutters something.
"What, Piper?" I push her hair out of her face. She holds on my hand, speaking louder.
She is shattering into a million pieces in my arms, and Alexandra still won't shut her mouth."Un, deux, trois…"
I finish her phrase for her. "Quatre, cinq, six sept, huit, neuf. You're doing good, Piper."
"Un, deux, trois, qua…" her eyes are closing. "Sept, huit, neuf."
Alexandra looks up at me, her blue eyes bloodshot.
"Sept, huit, neuf," I repeat, as my Piper goes limp in my arms.
"Set, huit."