"How can a night so frozen be so scalding hot, how can a morning so mild be so raw"

Rent

After four stressful hours, Evelyn broke the silence that had filled the room since ten, "He's not back yet, he was supposed to be back three hours ago. Sam, something's happened."

Samantha sat at the window looking down at the dark street below. "Soon Evy, he'll be back soon.", but as hard as she tried she couldn't hide the worry in her voice. Evy returned to her seat and attempted to read. She picked up the first book she saw, The Phantom of the Opera, her favorite. Still, even that couldn't get her mind off her father.

Three minutes, fifteen minutes, a half hour, forty-five minutes, two hours and still no one returned home.

Evy slammed the book shut, "Some things wrong, I know it, something's is really wrong!"

"Calm down Evelyn!" Sam uncurled herself from her position in the window and stood in front of Evy's chair, "Nothings wr…"

BAM…BAM…BAM

In lighter situation, one without the concern of a missing parent, the sisters would felt extremely bad for the door. For it was receiving more of a beating then a particularly scrawny boxer.

BAM…BAM…BAM

Evelyn, who was the unfortunate one to be standing closest to the door, reached out and, trembling, turned the old brass knob. There stood the man who Evy had trusted more even more then her sister…her father.

He rushed in and quickly closed the door behind him and locked it. The usually handsome man was pale and disheveled. As Sam looked at him, she saw the beginnings of a black eye, there was blood on his shirt, and he was missing a shoe. He said nothing but handed them a small pouch of money and two bags.

"Put as much as you can fit in these," the two girls stood there in silence, half stunned and half bewildered. There father stared at each of them waiting expectantly. "NOW!" he screamed and they ran to their rooms, filling the bags until the stitching was about to pop. They hurried out, back to the den, were their father was sitting with is head in his hands, looking distraught and forlorn.

"What's going o…" Sam was cut off.

"There's no time." he drew both of them into a tight hug. "I love you so much…don't you ever forget that." he kissed each of them on the foreheads, "I wont you to run, get out of here, as far as you can you got me!". They shook there heads slowly.

There were rough men's voices coming from behind the door closely followed by 3 more loud bangs. He pushed them towards the fire escape and onto the cold, rusty, metal platform. He gave his daughters one last kiss goodbye and closed the shade.

Silently they made their way down the ladders and landed lightly on the smooth cobble stone. They paused and listened, heads tilted upward, for any sign of what was happing in there much loved home above.

The crash of a door being broken down, men's voices : angry and harsh, a single gun shot, then silence.

Sam grabbed Evy's hand and started running. They ran until you could just see the sun's golden rays on the horizon. Evelyn stopped and sat on some nearby steps , "I can't…can't run anymore." Sam joined her on the steps, "So," Sam looked up at the sun streaked sky, "What the hell…do we do now?"

Evy was about to speak when a voice came from behind them.

"May I…ah…help you two ladies?"

They turned and saw…