Picture Perfect

Chapter 4

    At 1:15 Donovan was finally free from his practice lair. Instead of trying to convince his parents to do anything outside the house, he went to the classroom in the basement to study.
    After grabbing a snack from his study food stash he started in on his math homework. He hoped he could finish his homework and get some outside time before the reporter at 5:30.
    A few minutes later Donovan heard the doorbell. He didn't bother going upstairs because it was probably one of his dad's friends coming over to watch a fight, no one important.
    Chris opened the door apprehensively at first since neither he nor his wife were expecting any visitors for another few hours. When he saw the visitor he beamed and said, "Wow that was quick and home service too? Please come in."
    "Thank you Mr. Olsen. Where shall we look at these?"
    "How about in the kitchen, there's better light in there."
    The visitor grinned slightly while following Chris and thought, 'Better light to watch your family die by.'
    When they reached the kitchen, it was empty. Chris called out, "Jennifer?"
    "Yes honey?" She replied from the direction of their bedroom.
    "Come back to the kitchen, you've gotta see these. Get Donovan too."
    "Chris, he's in the basement studying. Just call down to him. I'll be out in a minute or two."
    Before Chris could call out to his son he was grabbed from behind and hand cuffed to the stool he was standing beside which happened to be bolted to the floor.
    "What the..." was all he was able to get out before a gag was tied around his mouth.
    "Shh..." the visitor said, now standing in front of Chris. "Wouldn't want to ruin the show by warning the family."
    Chris' eyes went wide not only because of the words uttered but also the coldness in the voice of the person he had just welcomed into his home. By allowing them in he may have just put his family in mortal danger.
    "Let's just wait for the wifey to come in here shall we?"
    Chris was sent into a panic when the visitor grabbed a large kitchen knife from the wooden block and positioned themselves out of sight, ready to pounce. About five minutes passed before Chris heard his wife leave the bedroom. He fought against his restraints to no avail. All too quickly though the moment of truth came and Jennifer appeared in the doorway.
    An immediate look of confusion crossed Jennifer's face. "Chris, what's going on? Why are you..." Jennifer never finished her question. As soon as she crossed the doorway the visitor grabbed her chin, pulling it up to expose her neck and slit her from ear to ear. When the dropped their arms Jennifer dropped to a heap on the floor.
    Chris tried to scream but the sound caught in his throat. Even if he could have yelled the gag would muffle the sound. Thoughts were racing through his head, the most pressing being how was he going to save his son's life. As the possibilities raced through his head Chris heard the sound he dreaded most at the moment, Donovan was coming up the stairs.
    Mere seconds after he opened the door Donovan was crumpled on the floor with a bullet between his eyes.
    Chris again tried to scream, this time a muffled sound escaped as tears flowed down his face.
    At the noise the killer turned around wearing an evil smile. "How does it feel to lose everything you did not hold dear enough Mr. Olsen?" The killer said before turning the gun on Chris. He closed his eyes and welcomed the bullet that would reunite him with his family. Without his wife and son he had nothing. He may not have been the most caring husband and father but they were his only reason for living.
    Mercifully he only had to wait a few seconds before he heard the distinctive sound of a gun being fired through a silencer. Then everything went black.