13 Shots, 13 Lives

Prologue

It wasn't a nice day. In fact you could say it was a horrible day as a blanket of death collected around the city entrapping those who dared go out. It was also Miriam and Sebastian Jose's 15th anniversary and they were going dancing that night.

Not the most wisest choice.

It began with an irritating buzzing resonating through the house. Shortly followed by sharply dealt blows to the front door.

Knock. Knock.

A young woman, in her late teens, stood at the Jose doorstep cloaked in crimson, dressed with a smile snatched off the corpse of a businessman.

A short plump man opened the door.

'You must be the babysitter.' The short stocky man peered up at her, clutching his glasses tightly to his face as he squinted. He had a young face, his age only present through the carefully brushed glittering silver strands in his dark hair.

She gave a crocodile smile,'Yes sir.' finishing with a curt nod.

'Miriam!' He called out and a slender, tall, heavily tanned woman with dark hair dressed in a red salsa dress came rushing to the door. 'It's the babysitter.'

The mother gave her a warm smile and quickly said, 'The kids are upstairs, they won't be any trouble. You can call us; our numbers are posted on the fridge. We'll be back by twelve and the kids should be asleep by ten.' She hurriedly shoved her ruby red stilettos onto her feet and jumped out of the door.

'Don't worry you can count on me. Go out, enjoy yourselves!'

'We've never left the kids alone.' Muttered the father as he trudged out of the house after his wife.

'Hush now, it's only for a few hours. They'll be fine.' The woman grabbed her husband and they disappeared into the fog.

The babysitter gave a sly smile as she heard the door snap shut. The stranger crept along the unfamiliar stairs. 'Kids? Kids, it's time for bed.' She gave an impressive yell, her words bouncing off the walls, echoing.

She crept along the calloused timber of the stairs, her ears open, listening to the sudden creak that leaped into the air.

Finally two small, scrubbed clean faces popped out, gleaming like diamonds in the darkness of a bedroom.

'What if I don't want to go to sleep?' The young boy asked defiantly, his dark hair flopping into his face.

'I dunno Diego, what do you think will happen?' She stressed the word 'you' but kept her head down, her sharp eyes on her hand which held a scrap of paper folded crisply, hidden from view.

'How does she know your name? I don't trust her.' Whispered the boy's twin, her brown almond eyes flickering from her brother to the unwelcome stranger.

'I know everything Carmen, I'm magic.' Her eyes twinkled. 'Let's compromise. You go to sleep when I tell you and I tell you a story.'

'Depends,' The girl snapped, raising her voice,'Only if it's a scary story.'

'I wouldn't want you to have nightmares.' She cooed at the children patronisingly.

'We're eleven not babies.' Diego scowled.

'Fine. You want a scary story, you'll get one alright.' A frightening glint appeared in her eyes as she spoke but they didn't notice, far too busy as it were, celebrating their 'triumph'.

She took a seat on the bed, the two children curled up beside her. A torch lit up her face, creating shadows pictured on the walls.

Then she began.

It wasn't everyday Tess got a new job. Especially since she'd have to move across the country. But she was only doing it because the job payed well, not because she wanted to gloat to Jenner or anything. She wasn't a child anymore.

'Boring.' Yawned the boy, scowling at the babysitter.

'Don't worry, it's getting interesting.' A slither of a smirk slid across her face.

Her eyes looked sunken in the dim light of the moving car.

It is a common yet hidden truth that everyone wants a story, everyone needs something to put them in the limelight and Tess Landon, PI, was no different from the million others. She wanted to get that case, the case that would push her onto the road of fame.