The man turned quickly, raising the crossbow but slowly let it fall when he saw me standing there, bow raised & the string pulled taught with an arrow.

"I'm sorry, " he said, "I'm not here to hurt you, I didn't know there was anyone here, I just" -

I cut him off curtly, "How did you find my farm?"

"We saw it through the wood line &-",

again I speak over him, this time frantically asking, "We? How many are out there? I'm giving you one chance to get out of my house & take whoever is with you off my property."

I had never been hostile toward any passers-by, but this one had an entire group with him. I couldn't risk losing the only familiar thing I had left in this world. I wasn't going to let my farm go without a fight, so either I would die trying, or he would.

With my mind running a mile a minute, I didn't even realize that I was moving towards the gruffy man. My arrow still pulled tight in the bow as I glare at him, his eyes never leaving contact with mine. It seemed only a fraction of a second then, that I saw something in those predator like eyes, a small flash of pleading, maybe even desperation. In that same fraction, I felt a sting of sorrow for this man as I gazed at his tired, weary face.

Even though it was only an instant that my guard faltered, the flash in his eyes alerted me to my mistake. Yet, it was too late as he lunged, fast as lightning, grabbing my bow. By sheer instinct I loose the arrow, letting it fly just centimeters away from his head, impaling the wall behind him. He picks me up, throwing me to the floor, placing weight in the right places to have me pinned.

Red flashed through my vision as my anger boiled over, I strained with all the strength I had left but it wasn't enough.

"Stop! I ain't trying to hurt you, but you have to listen to me!" He yelled, "my group only needs a safe place to stay for the night, we have women & children," his face grew somber, "they need food & shelter. If not for anyone else, just take the children."

He's lying! my mind yelled at me. It was that look in his eyes that had been my downfall before, but not again. I look at him for a long moment, searching for a way out, when I find it. Without another thought, I pull my head off the floor, meeting his lips with mine. Surprised as I was at the turn our situation had taken, and for an instant, this time, his guard cracked. As his grip loosened ever so slightly, I yank my arm back punching him square in the jaw. This was even more of a shock to him as he grunted and pulled away from me.

I took advantage of those few precious seconds to claw my way to the arrow stuck in wall, I grab ahold of it just as I felt his hands grab me from behind. As I jerk the arrow out, my elbow makes contact with something solid. I turn to see him staggering backwards, holding his nose, but I waste no time as I tackle him with all my weight.

Now straddling him, I rare back, arrow in hand, unsure of my exact intentions but ready to kill, when I hear the distinctive cock of a shotgun behind me.