A Shot in the Dark

We were all gathered in the front room of the house when we heard the bang. The noise. The piercing sound in the dark and the crash of glass that followed it.

We all stopped and looked together towards the source of the sound - the bay window. It was penetrated by a gaping hole, cracked at the edges, with a bullet wedged in it.

"What is this, I thought this was Britain!" cried Harvey, rustily.
Harvey was an older gentleman. He had worked in the manufacturing industry in a car factory for most of his life and was an important member of the Trade Union for many years, but recently had been laid off as the company relocated to a factory in Eastern Europe. In addition, he had also lost his wife to an illness the year prior and was just beginning to recover from the double impact that had put him relatively out of action for the majority of the year.

"This is a disgrace!" yowled Harley, in her thick Scottish accent. "The Lord will look down greatly on whoever done this act"
Owen stood up and surveyed the damage. He stood motionless, staring at the gash in the glass. "I've not seen bullet marks since my tour in Afghan," he mumbled. His hard shell had weakened, and we could see the man underneath. Beneath his tough outer layer was a shell-shocked man, traumatised from his experience serving Afghanistan and Iraq in the
noughties.

"Here have a sit down and a drink," I offered. I walked over to the cabinet and perused through the drinks on offer. "We have Whiskey, Cider and what looks like several cans of fosters"
"What brand Cider?" Owen whispered. "Strongbow" I came back.
" Alright ill have some of that then," sighed Owen as he slumped back, brown buzz cut brushing against the back of the armchair.

Sebastian then cleared his throat "Whatever this is, somethings amiss. I mean, not all of us know eachother do we? I mean, we're a fairly random collection of people to be here. I mean, we've got an American Judge, a Scottish Preacher and an Eastern European Lorry Driver here today" he exclaimed, signifying to me on the last bit. "Whatever's going on isn't right. It's deplorable at best!"

"But what could be going on Seb?" Asked Desmond, "If you don't mind me calling you that. I mean, what could be going on exactly really?"
" Let me interrupt you here" came in Megan in her young tone "Desmond, I get't these days you spend more time in Silicon Valley than the likes of Surrey or Sheffield" Acknowledging Sebastian "But here in Britain, shoot-ups aren't common, and they are very rarely indiscriminate. It takes a lot to get a gun, so if you're gonna get one, you won't be shooting it around willy-nilly!"
"Here Here!" yelled Harvey from the other side of the room.
"She has a point, Dezza" spat Sebastian "You don't just get a gun then shoot it through a several streets in a house a short way out from London! It's not even like were in a central location in this town, we're
as far out as you can be without hearing the cows, creatures of the night and combine harvesters!"

"I don't like this," Muttered Matt. He too like Owen was crouched in the corner, only he was cradling his head in his hands. "I almost didn't come! I knew something was gonna happen! I knew it!" He was breathless "I-I I think I'm having a panic attack!"

Arthur, a nurse, rushed over to help Matt. "Use your senses, Matt. Can you think of 5 things you can see?"
"You, the drinks, the telly, Harvey and the rug" he replied, shakily
"4 things you can hear?" Arthur replied, affirmingly.
"The Music, Your Breathing, Me Breathing, and a rumbling sound in the room next door."
"3 things you ca-. Wait you said a rumbling sound in the room next door?" Arthur Paused.
"Yes, like a dishwasher or a tumble dryer" Matt trembled. "Shouldn't it be on?"
"Alright" said Owen, standing up on his feet. "Who turned on anything in the room next door?"

The Room Fell Silent.
Rochelle, an American lady, also at the party coughed and starting speaking. "Well if it wasn't any of us, and it isn't our house, should we check the house - the bathrooms, kitchen, utility?"
"Good Idea!" boomed Desmond "Let's go check it and put your irrational worries to rest."

He strode off, leaving us trailing behind him. We forked off. I ended up with Harley and another lady named Luciana, who worked in the Docklands. We turned up the staircase to check the en-suites and several other rooms upstairs. Matt, Arthur and another guy named Satoshi shortly followed.

"Well this has been an interesting turn of events!" Harley quipped. "Fancy us having a mystery on our hands!"
"Wait weren' cha in the paper a few months ago, love?" inquired Luciana. I swore I remember seeing you in there. You're from Scotland right?"
She snapped defensively "Can't you tell from me accent? What business would it be of yours anyway?"
"Alright, Alright! I was just askin," said Luciana "No need to be touchy!"
"Should we be going to the bathrooms?" I asked uneasily to the rest of the party."
Harley glared at Luciana "Indeed we should. We don't want the others waiting downstairs for us."

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