About Last Night

The Past

Layla

I couldn't believe I was standing in front of the man that had killed my mother, the memory from when I was twelve began to flash across my mind. My palms started sweating and my chest got tighter, I couldn't breathe. Everything was going was going dark. 

 Layla when she was 12

"Layla come here, now." I could hear the urgency in her voice. I ran to the living room where my mom was as fast as I could. 

"Yes mama?" I asked as I looked into her eyes, fear and worry filled them. I knew something was wrong. 

"I want you to listen to me and listen carefully. You know the hideaway spot that daddy and me always told you to go to if anything ever happened?" My mom asked as she continuously looked around. 

I nodded my head yes, I knew something was definitely wrong. My father had a secret hideaway spot made in case his work ever got too dangerous and we were put in danger. My father made me practice running and hiding in case anything ever happened, kind of like a school fire drill. 

"I need you to go there, now." My mom said as she looked out the window. I could hear at least two cars pull into our drive way. 

"Run Layla! Now!" I did as I was told. I ran to the hideaway spot and locked myself in. It was a little hole in the wall, literally. Unless you knew it was there, none would be able to find it. That was just as my father wanted. 

I heard the door being broken down, I heard my mother scream. Then I heard his voice, it was smooth and deep. He wasn't alone. 

"Grab her." He spat out commands, and they followed. 

I peeped through the vent that was on the lower part of the wall. I laid down on the floor as quietly as I could, careful not to make any noise. I saw my mother being dragged to a chair and tied up. They placed duck tape over her mouth, and he sat there and waited and watched. 

"Your husband has caused some trouble for you and that pretty little girl of yours. He's crossing lines he knows he shouldn't be crossing." He stated as he pulled out a knife from his pocket. 

I watched as tears rolled down my mothers face, and fear washed over her face. I covered my mouth to muffle my cries. 

I watched as he stood up and walked towards my mother, "Where is she?" He asked as my mom cried harder and shook her head no. 

"Tear this house apart until you find her." He barked the order and they dispersed. I scooted back against the back wall and pulled my knees to my chest. My father had always reassured me that this was the safest place for me in the event something like this had ever happened. They searched the house for at least an hour, by the time they were finished the place I called home didn't look much like a home anymore. 

He looked at my mother, anger washed over his face. I watched as he took that anger out on my mother, beating her within an inch of her life. With every hit I could see the light leave her eyes. She looked straight ahead at the vent, I watched the tears fall down her face as she endured hit after hit. Once he was done he sat her back in the chair, took the knife out and cut her shirt off. I watched him carve a symbol into my mother's chest as screamed in agony. He held his hand out and one of the other men placed a gun in his hand. I squeezed my hand tighter around my mouth as he pointed the gun at my mouth; one, two, three, four, five. He shot my mother five times, I watched her lifeless body slump over in the chair. I sat up and pushed my self to the back wall, pulling my knees to my chest. I stayed there and stayed quiet. 

It was starting to get dark, I peeped out the vent to see if they were all gone. I opened the door and stood there as I looked at the lifeless body of what was my mother. I ran to her with tears running down my face. I let out a horrid scream as I held on tight to my mother and cried. I stayed there holding my mother until the local police and my father walked into what use to be our house but now it was the place that my mother was murdered in front of me. 

Present Day

"You killed my mother." That was all I could say as I stood in front of the man who murdered my mother. 

"Yes. And wasn't I surprised when I saw you take the stand and testify against me. I thought that you weren't there that day." Jack stated with a smirk on his face. 

"I watched you beat my mother within an inch of her life and then you shot her five times. For what?! Because of some score you had to settle with my father!" I yelled lunging closer to him, I could feel Quinton holding me by my waist. 

Jack looked at me and laughed. He looked back at the two men standing at the door. 

"Take her." He demanded. 

"No!" Quinton yelled as he pulled his gun on Jack. Dex pulled his on the men walking towards us. 

"Your men or you take one more step towards her and i will put three holes in your head like a bowling ball. Try me." Quinton spat out with anger in his voice. Dex took a step closer, aiming his gun at one man and pulled the trigger then quickly turned to the other. 

"Your move Jack." Dex stated calmly. 

Jack smirked, "Lets go." He sighed as he turned and walked towards the door. 

"This isn't over. And expect Carmen's head delivered to my door by tomorrow night." Him and the man walked out the door. 

I dropped to the floor as Quinton held me as i cried in his arms. 

"Its going to be okay." Quinton held me tighter.