Trauma of the Forest (Meadema)

~ Chapter 68: Gunfight ~

Warning: This chapter contains gun violence.

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The bang was strange, very strange, not a bang you would expect. Not something falling like that one flower pot, not a homely sound, not a sound coming from the neighbours. They therefore had no idea what it was, which caused quite a bit of fear. Katie's hand immediately slid off the door handle and both Katie and Caitlin jumped back and stood in each other's arms. Beth had immediately crawled into Viv's lap, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. Silence immediately took over the living room, only their rapid breathing of fear was clearly audible.

No one had been here for the past few weeks, only the mailman came by sometimes with a package, but otherwise no one really. And this sound didn't really sound like the mailman dropping a package. And now suddenly, now this strange noise could be heard here, while they hadn't expected anyone. No delivered packages, not a day when the mailman came to bring regular mail. And besides, the apartment was detached, there was at least three meters between the neighbor's house and their own apartment, so this was strange.

Katie turned around, towards Beth and Viv, who were also looking at her with fear, who also seemed to have no idea what this sound was. It really seemed to come from the other side of the door, but no one could really make sense of what this sound was. And then suddenly, footsteps could be heard, very softly. 

Katie and Caitlin immediately moved towards Beth and Viv, looking for safety. The footsteps became increasingly audible, and then suddenly it stopped, in front of the door. And yes, it couldn't be true, the mailbox was opened, a letter was thrown through the door, there was a knock on the door and immediately someone walked away. They knew exactly what this meant, but that earlier sound remained strange.

'No, no, no, no, please. Viv please no. I don't want it'. Everyone had already seen it, the confirmation had already been there, the yellow letter, the oh so recognizable yellowed letter, this time without an envelope, delivered through the door. 'Fuck, how?'. Beth had immediately burst into tears, Viv's shirt became damp with the tears that left Beth's eyes.

Viv abruptly pressed her bracelet, which shared her location with the police and alerted them that those men were in their vicinity. Literally all free agents would be coming to Katie and Cailtin's house at this moment, because even without having seen the letter up close, it was just too recognizable. Had they fled? No, absolutely not. They were closer again than ever. 

'Vivi, please. I don't want to leave you. You have to protect me. I can't do this again'. Beth's heartbreaking words rang in her ears, with every word that left Beth's mouth, she felt a pain that she hadn't felt in a long time rush through her body. 'It's okay, liefje. It's okay. Help is on the way.' Katie and Cailtin looked at Viv, as if they were signaling what to do next.

'Uhmm.... Do you want me to go and check the letter?'. Viv didn't know exactly what she and Beth needed now, whether it was wise to go and get the letter and read it. Part of her didn't want to accept that those men had come again, that they were still in the middle of this trauma. But then again, she did want to know what those men had to say now.

All she did was nod, not yet verbally making it clear to Beth that she was going to look at it now. While Viv was tending to Beth, Katie slowly walked towards the door, the sirens already blaring, much to Viv's gratitude, because that meant that a patrol was nearby and they might still be able to catch those men red-handed. And then, just before Katie got a hold of the letter, which was now clearly visible as being from those men. *BANG*.

'KATIE!!'. Katie immediately flew away from the door and Caitlin jumped up from the couch to pull her away from the door. Beth shot up in Viv's lap, her eyes wide, completely red and filled with tears. 'No, Viv, no, no, no. This can't be'. Smoke was billowing out of the door, the lock broken open. And then, just as Caitlin had reached Katie. *BANG*.