Shamrock Samurai

3 | UPPERCUT

My blood ran cold. How did she find me?

Even though I didn't see her, I knew she was there. Some deep and primal alarm inside me told me to run. Tain barked ferociously at the sliding glass door behind me. He bashed the glass with his front paws, causing the window to shake.

Gosh, how had I gotten myself into this mess? Now my family was in danger. What should I do? I couldn't keep running from this demon lady, this Banshee. I'd have to corner her and take her out.

I turned and opened the door, careful not to let Tain out, shut it and ran to my little brother's room. Oh please be there. Please be there. I hoped Mom hadn't decided to get rid of it.

"What's going on, Sean? Why is Tain freaking out?" asked Mom. She and Aiden were watching the movie.

"Just stay there. Everything will be okay," I said, but even to me it was not very reassuring.

Her eyes widened as she read my body language and saw the look on my face. I jogged into my brother's room. Please be there!

Still mounted to the wall was the katana Aiden got for his birthday. I still remember Mom freaking out because it was real. Grabbing the entire thing, sheath and all, I tied it to my belt loop on my jeans then dusted off my hands. Aiden hadn't touched it for some time. From there I rushed to my mother's room.

Mom barred my path down the hallway. "What's happening?" she asked, now holding the wireless landline. Yeah, I know. A landline. "Are you getting the shotgun?" mom asked.

A strange, abnormal sound in the backyard caused my mother to pause. The hairs on her neck stood up. Guaranteed, because mine were.

I gently pushed past her into the bedroom and entered her walk-in closet. She had donated my dad's clothes to Goodwill a while ago, but I knew that on top of the shelf, mounted on the wall lay a long black bag. Pulling it down, I sneezed because this bag had dust on it too. "Doesn't anyone in this family dust? Gee whiz."

Unzipping the bag I pulled out the Mossberg 500 that belonged to my father, who firmly believed in the Constitution. 'Murica. I loaded the seven shots as quick as I could but I had little practice.

"Mom, take Aiden and Tain and find a place away from any windows and sit tight," I spoke with a firmness she probably wasn't used to hearing from me, but she moved quickly and did as I said.

Another strange noise sounded outside along with some crashing and breaking of things. I grabbed my Mossberg and the katana. I removed my jacket and t-shirt, leaving on my A shirt. My heart raced faster than an Amazon Prime driver. Not my family, demon-lady.

Then the electricity went out and everything became dark. Even Tain stopped barking, letting out an uncharacteristic whimper.

Moonlight shone through the sliding door. I couldn't see a thing in the yard but there was no turning back. Holding my breath I slowly slid open the door, stepped outside, then slid it shut.

Immediately I tripped my brother's skateboard. It nearly sent me flying but I caught myself. Almost sprained my ankle though. I took wide steps, trying to move past objects I wasn't even sure were there. I'd have to scold that kid. Until he cleaned up this backyard he'd be grounded.

I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Raising the Mossberg I turned, surveying the entire backyard. The backyard consisted of tall grass and weeds. Oh, that boy was really grounded now. Why hadn't he mowed?

Alongside the house leading to the front yard was the water meter and several garbage and recycling cans. I edged past them to the corner of the house. The fence couldn't open from the front because of the latch.