unchosen path

CHAPTER TWO

chapter two

~ the inevitable collapse ~

march 20th, 2018

i woke up the next morning, it was just another normal day. okay, okay i know what you thinking. when is she going to stop teasing and give us the real deal. i promise its coming soon just wait.

i got out of bed and i made my bed, then i got ready for school. tuesday. almost halfway through the week. i did what i always did. got ready, ate breakfast, this time it was just a bit different. i couldn't find my dad. he was always in the bathroom brushing his teeth at this time. i went to his room and he wasn't there so i started calling his name. no answer. so i did it again, still no answer. he always came to me when i called his name, i searched the whole house and i couldn't find him. the bus had already came and went, and i made sure my brother didn't get on his bus. i would just walk us to our schools. my mom was in her room sleeping so i didn't bother her. the babysitter showed up,

"hello cece." the babysitter said.

"hey ms. courtney, i'm staying home from school today because i'm having a terrible migraine so no worries about kailey today." i lied. "oh okay, bye bye. i hope you feel better." she said leaving.

"thank you!" i shouted walking away. i grabbed my brothers hand and brought him to my sisters room. "watch her for a minute. i'm gonna find dad." he nodded and i went to the basement. i slowly walked down the stairs, i clicked on the light. "dad?" i ask looking around. the next frame i saw, i will never forget. my father was laying on the ground a gun with a silencer laying beside him a large shotgun wound in his chest. my jaw dropped, i felt numb. i ran up the stairs faster then i ever had. i grabbed my phone and dialed 911.

this is how it went.

"911 what is your emergency." it was a woman.

"hello, i haven't been able to find my dad and i just found him dead in the basement." i still felt numb.

"sweety, where are you?"

"674 wallinda, avenue, 67424."

"okay, is there anyone else in the home?"

"yes ma'am, my little siblings and mom but they are in their rooms."

"okay, thank you for being so mature. how old are you?"

"fourteen."

"we have people coming right now, stay where you are."

"yes ma'am." i say after 30 seconds of silence i spoke again. "they are here now. thank you."

"okay sweety, stay safe." she says. she hung up. i let the men in. "where is he?" they ask. i pointed them to the basement. i walked to my siblings room. i told my brother to stay there, watch my sister, and to not leave the room. he didn't ask questions. i went to my mothers room and told her to get up and go to the basement. she didn't want to but when i told her that there was a problem with dad she got up. i went and sat on the couch. i put my head in my hands and now my adrenaline was gone i got a sense of reality.

tears started spilling out of my eyes. my mom always told me not to cry, i was a strong woman and i can't cry. a police officer came and sat beside me. he began asking me a few questions, i answered them to the best of my abilities. he put his hand on my shoulder and handed me a paper with his number. "if you need anything you call me." i nodded and walked to the door of the basement.

"what did they say?" i asked the officer at the door. "gunshot wound, there was a silencer. thats why you kiddos didn't hear it."

"i saw that." i said avoiding eye contact. "i'm sorry kiddo. i know this can't be easy."

"thanks sir." i replied, i didn't know what else to say. he put a hand on my shoulder. he nodded at me and i walked to my siblings room. i could hear my mother screaming and crying in the background, a sound i still think about all these years later. i grabbed my brother and hugged him so tight. he began to cry, he could put the puzzle pieces together. i never cried, he knew it had to be serious. mom never cried either, they couldn't find dad. dad must be dead. i set him down. i told him to sit tight. i went to the man at the door.

"i'm sorry to bother you again but can you answer one more question." i asked gathering myself. he nodded. "was it suicide or murder?"

"we don't know kiddo. i'm so sorry."

"if you get any new information tell me. not my brother or mom, me. they are in too much distress for that." he hugged me. "i will kiddo."

i went to my room and called my older brother. "hey, nice talkin' to you again." he said. "hey corbin. i have some bad news." you could hear me crying. he had some kind of worry in his voice all the sudden. "what?"

"you need to come right now. drop everything. dad is gone." he started sobbing. "i'm coming cece."

my dad was gone. i had just realized that, my mom was long gone, i was sitting with my distraught brother and my unknowing sister. i needed to stay strong for my family. my brother had cried himself to sleep at this point. i closed my eyes, everyone was gone. it was just us.