Within His Reach

Chapter 2

BRIAR POV

I was nine years old when it happened. They came in the dead of night- tons of armed men swarming my family home. They were clad in heavy army gear, holding large guns with necklaces of extra bullets around their necks.

I was in bed when I first heard the deafening bang sound out from downstairs, shortly followed by screams. I climbed out of my bed, sliding my tiny feet into my slippers as I did so. I was young and barely had any time to think about consequences as I headed towards my bedroom door which remained closed and guarded always. It was the same for everyone in my family. We all had a guard stationed outside of our room's for protection. Myself, siblings and parents. We were never alone in the mansion though. We had plenty of staff- guards, security, maids, cooks and even teachers who came to home school us. We never left the estate. We never even had a reason to, not us children anyway and especially not me- being the youngest.

As soon as I pressed against the door, willing it open, someone came in. They slammed it shut behind them, pushing me back too but not before I caught a glimpse of what was going on outside. Fire. Bullets. People clawing onto each other for life. It was a massacre happening right outside my bedroom door in the halls. The staff were screaming for help yet my family was nowhere to be seen.

"Miss Briar?"

One of the guards spoke to me yet I was far to frozen to answer any of what he was saying. Everything was so overwhelming- especially for a child who had not even reached their teenage years.

I felt strong arms pick me up and hurriedly carry me out of the room. Their were several other guards surrounding us- all protecting me as I was taken away. I knew where we were going. In the event of an attack my father had always told me that I would come to his office. There we would be safe and together.

The sound of gun fire, screams and fighting became to loud so I covered my ears with small hands, crying into the man's shoulder.

"Briar!"

I heard the voice of my mother and I was picked out of the guards strong arms and into her delicate ones.

Only then, once embraced in her familiar comfort did I look up to see the rest of my family huddled on the floor behind my father's desk- all of whom were also in still wearing their pajamas much like me.

I had two older brothers, both of which were already teenagers.

I glanced around the rest of the room, only just noticing the traces of blood that painting the office doors. There were three guards in front of my father's desk. They all stood directly behind the door, guns aimed and ready to shoot anyone who dared enter. Yet for some reason, I felt as though three guards with three guns would not be enough to protect me and my family from whatever was coming for us. I could already tell this was not going to end well. The guard's hands were shaking and my parent's had tears in their eyes. We all could tell that this was the end

"Mommy what's going on?"

I clung to her with all my might- tears still escaping my eyes as if my eye sockets were the gates of a monstrous waterfall.

"Shhhhhh....."

She only hushed me, I looked to my father and siblings out of hope they'd provide me with the answers that I so deeply desired. Yet all of them stayed silent as my father frantically opened his desk safe. I watched with widened eyes as he pulled out a gun.

"Dennis what about the panic room?"

My mother whispered to him- though her voice became even harder to hear over the mayhem outside these office walls.