A Mother's Selflessness

By next Saturday, there had been two early morning deliveries that Francis had to make. On both days he came back and fell asleep. Then, Maria brought over some more of their clothes and sentimental items; such as the awards Malik had won in the school science bees over the years. After their trip the next day they would only leave two outfits apiece in the house. One would be what they wore that day and the other would be what they would wear the next day. Malik was going to put both of their dirty clothes in his backpack so they could be washed with the next load of laundry at Jess's house. That way, they didn't have to return home after school and work. With that, Francis wouldn't be able to get to them ever again.

However, fate threw a monkey wrench into the plan. Maria's doctor called to say she needed to have a checkup. Francis, who was in a bad mood after being woken up from a nap, scheduled it for Sunday evening after dinner. That would put him in the house all alone with Malik; much to her annoyance. For his friends were all busy. Alex's father was back from a trip and took his son to the carnival. Louie had to go visit his grandfather in Humphrey's Peak. Finally, Derek was grounded after he pulled another one of his pranks. She offered to send him over to stay with Elliot and Jess so he could have some time to himself, but Francis turned down her proposal. Then, to top it all off, he beat her in anger over being woken up.

So that was why Malik was sitting in the living room all alone working on a puzzle that fateful night. Suddenly, Francis came into the room and slammed the door. His anger was boiling at the moment and he had no way to relieve it with Maria gone. He'd gone out to bring her to the doctor, fearing she'd run away if he left her alone to go, and on his way back he'd heard some people gossiping. The saloon owner's grown daughter, Hannah, was saying that she bet Maria's odd behavior was his fault. Even without being told about the situation, she very well believed he was hurting her. Just hearing her words made him sweat.

"Boy!" screamed an angry Francis, "You get yourself in here now! I know it's all your fault that my plans haven't succeeded. Your bitch of a mother is dropping hints to her co-workers either willfully or just unconsciously. If it weren't for you, she'd probably have submit to me completely and let me rule her."

"You're finally showing what a bad man you really are. I knew something was wrong with Mamma since you married her; she was different all of a sudden. But I didn't know what it was until I saw you hitting her one night. Mamma never told me what a monster you were, I found that out all on my own," he yelled.

Francis walked over to his stepson and slapped him on the face. Down to the ground went the boy; fear filling his eyes. Hs snarled, "Do you think I care if you played detective and found out about this? It only makes my life a little easier. Now I can drop the happy act around you. I'll show you what I really am. You've been in the way since day one! In fact, I wouldn't have had to be such a nice guy if it weren't for you. Now, you're going to pay for this." He reached into his pocket and began fishing around for an item inside.

It didn't take long for Malik to realize what he was going for. The pistol that Francis had taken from his mother; saying she no longer needed to worry about self defense. The boy knew it even before the silver item was removed from the pocket and aimed right at his head. "Ironic, isn't it? Your mother picked this thing up to keep the two of you safe following the death of her mother. Now I'll use it to get rid of you. And there's no one who can stop me. Your friends are all busy, your babysitters are out on the town the last I heard of it, and your mother is at the doctor. You'll be gone and I'll have full control over her actions at last."

"You'll never control Mamma," he screamed, "She'll know it was you who shot me, not a stranger, so she's not gonna believe whatever story you come up. Then, she'll fight back. If she was afraid to give you a few punches because of repercussion to me, then with me gone she'll fight you like an uncaged tiger."

Francis wasn't amused by the boy's angry outburst. He simply picked up his ARM and shot it at Malik. The bullet grazed his shoulder and imbedded itself into the oak wood desk. Fresh blood poured out of the wound, and the child grabbed his shoulder in pain. It seemed to light a dark sense of amusement in the man's eyes. In fact, it looked like he enjoyed the sight of a young boy in bloody pain in the living room.

"You're too weak to stand up to me. Boy, I hope you enjoyed your last day on this wretched planet, because my next shot isn't going to be a cheap shoulder wound. I intend to aim straight for your head. If you want to close your eyes, then go and do so. You'll be too scared to look at the blood," Francis stated.

Malik yelled, "You sadistic…get away from me. Mamma! I want Mamma!" Fear filled his eyes, but he found he could not run. He couldn't hide either. Nor could he let his eyes shut in order to keep himself from seeing the gleam in his killer's eye. The boy only prayed that his mother would see his corpse and get herself out of the house instantly. To run to stay with Jess and be safe. He saw the gun begin to level off.

Francis shook his head. "You're not going to see your mother again, brat. Unless she gets out of hand. If she won't submit to me after this, I think I'll kill her anyway. She's not good enough in bed to be worth the effort. I only hope that the two of you suffer for a long time before succumbing to this cold sleep."

His eyes took on a crazy look. Then, his finger began to pull back on the trigger; the mad gleam in his eyes never leaving. Malik closed his eyes instinctively and screamed, but the pain of the bullet never came. Instead, he found himself being pushed backwards by someone. Then, he heard a woman's voice scream out in the pain of death. Opening his eyes out of curiosity, he saw the site he feared for years.

There was his mother, her arms around him protectively. But the bullet had hit her square in the back, and had gone right through her body. It fell onto the floor where her blood was currently dripping out of the deep wound. She grimaced from the pain, but managed a smile to her son. He was safe, that was her desire.

"Malik," she whispered through her dying pains, "Run while you still can. He'll shoot again at you, I know it. I can't move my body that well anymore so I can't block a shot from other angles. So your only chance is to get out of here. Go to stay with Jess and Elliot. Please, do this one thing for me. Survive."

With those words, he saw her eyes close. Then, she fell to the floor in a dead faint. Malik's eyes were wide with fear as he noticed that she wasn't breathing. Judging from the wound she'd taken, Maria was already dead. He screamed once more, and began to back away from his stepfather's empty rage.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

Yes, the true love shown by his mother. She didn't care if she died, as long as he lived. Well, Malik mentions his mother a lot, but we don't hear about his father. So his dad must not have cared about him. That's what made me came up with a runaway father who didn't take responsibilities and an abusive stepfather. Since his mother looked young when he cloned her, I assumed she'd died when he was a child. If she had him as a teen, that would make her even younger. I felt that to die in the protection of someone else would make for a real dramatic way his mother lost her life.