Chapter 7: Officer Down
P O V: Nicole Sliver
"Zoe let's go talk to Violet later! Tyler pick up your shoes, you need to get moving school starts in twenty- two minutes, you have a fifteen minute walk!" Clapping my hands I let out a piercing whistle dropping two bagels into the toaster they have no time to eat here now.
Cracking eggs into the pan I start to dry up some potatoes the kids may have to eat on the run but there's no reason I have to. Hailey and Kim will be home soon they will be starving. I never sleep at night when they are on duty, I can't all I do is worry ever since Kim was shot two years ago. I'll never forget that day that call just as I was about to go to sleep.
Every day on the news you see a new story about police brutality, about hate towards the officers who put their lives on the line to save everyone regardless of their views on them. Reporters don't take the time to report facts, they twist words, they go for headlines not the truth. Their under surveillance more and more everyday given new rules, making it harder to do their jobs.
Glancing at the clock I see it's 6:45 they should be home soon. Great I can finally sleep! "It's a beautiful day mom," Zoe's voice startles me looking down I see her beautiful smile god she's growing up so fast. I'm thankfully for everyday I am here and I get to see grow learn and prosper. I almost lost her four years ago, I don't take any day for-granted now.
"Ugly ass bird though dude," Tyler comes up tossing a baseball as he pops his gum I glance out the window and almost have a damn heart attack staring right through our window is one of the hugest black raven's I have ever seen, he's staring at me sending chills running through my whole body. "Raven of death creepy," Tyler grins he really is turning into the all American boy. "Can I go with Jack and Diego after school to work on my batting?" "Well you'll have to check with your sister when she comes home but as long as you get your homework done, I have no issues with it, just be home for dinner, Kim and Hailey are off tonight, I want us to have a family dinner," "Sounds cool thanks Aunt Nicole,"
I say a quick prayer for their safety as I spread cream cheese and jam on their bagels getting out orange juice to pour into their thermals. "Relax mom aunt Kim is a bad ass ain't no bullet gonna take her down," My daughter so precious so innocent she always has looked up to her aunt. I would rather her look up to the police, to firefighters, to paramedics as hero's instead of caped superhero's created to provide unrealistic expectations of kids.
I just can't have the same image in my head that she does because she was too young last time to see her aunt laying in that hospital bed with gauze over her shoulder, I wasn't I can still see how pale Kim was. Kissing the kids as they groan their simply to old to be mothered. I watch them as they head out arguing over some movie. It's silent outside not even the wind is blowing, the sun is shining. The kids freeze, a bagel drops, I hear them gasp I hear the sirens before I see them. Racing to the doors I can't swallow my heart beat is rapid, I am going to cry.
"Not Kim please god no not Kim," Maybe their going down the street, there's three other officers who live on this street. My head hurts though, my fear is crippling as I race forward seeing other neighbors all standing outside their homes, many with kids, a few have taken off their hats and are holding it in front of their waists.
The sirens approach fast, loud their brightness hurts my eyes, suddenly they are in front of us. Sargent Hank Voight gets out along with Erin Lindsay. Kim where is she? I can feel Zoe slip her hand into mine, she's afraid. I want to comfort her provide her with reassurance like a mother is suppose to. I can't. All I can think about was what were my last words to Kim? Why can't I remember? Hank walks in front of us looking solemn. They kneel in front of us my vision is dancing a little I see Erin take Tyler's hands, I hear him gasp. It dawns on me my heart breaks because I know now, it's not my sister who's never coming home again. It's his. Sweet innocent brave 14 year old Tyler Abbandonato who came to America to get his American dream, he's now lost his whole world.