Unsolved

Then.

I was 7 years old. Before bed, Mama and I always sat on the yellow couch in the middle of our small living room in front of the barely working tv. I was never allowed to watch cartoons like most children. Instead, Mama put on the news and tried to explain to me the jist of that days events. This night was no different. It was August 2nd, 2007 at around 8:00 pm. I remember exactly what Mama had been explaining to me before it happened. A woman had been shot in her apartment building by her boyfriend because he had found out she had been cheating on him. Of course, at that time, I didn't understand what that meant, but it still stuck in my little 5 yearold brain.
Mama had just finished telling me about how the woman was in critical condition at the hospital when there was a knock on the door. I asked if I could go open it. Mama shook her head and stood up, patting me on the head. The knocking continued and Mama called out in her friendly voice that she was coming. Quickly, she ran to the door, tugging at her Lion King t-shirt before checking the peep hole. She stood there for a moment, looking through the hole. Her fists began to clench and she took a quiet step back. The knocking continued, louder this time. Mama ran back to me.
"Hide," She said, kissing my head and lifting me up off the couch.
I gave her a puzzled look, but followed her instructions and hid in the bedroom closet. I was confused. Mama had never acted like that before. I kept my ear up to the closet door in hopes of hearing anything that could clue me into what was going on.
I heard the door open and footsteps.
"You know why I'm here Beth." A male voice called out.
I heard a clicking noise and more footsteps.
"It doesn't have to end like this," My mother said, her voice shaking.
"Yes it does," was the reply, and the sound of a gun shot ripped through the air.
I wanted to run out and see what had happened. I wouldn't disobey Mama tho. Not until I knew the man was gone.
I waited until i heard footsteps again and the sound of the door shutting. I crawled out of the closet and into the living room, making sure not to make a sound. My mother lay on the couch. At first glance, it was as if she was sleeping, but I knew better. I walked around to the front of the couch. That's when I saw the blood that still to this day haunts my dreams. Pools of red surrounded my mother and the gaping hole in her forehead. It dripped onto the floor, turning the white carpet crimson.
I began to cry. I knew my mother was dead. I grabbed the phone off the wall beside my and dialed 911 just as Mama told me to do if there ever was an emergency.
"911, what is your emergency?" A voice on the other end said.
"My mama......she's dead." I muttered out.
The operator asked for my name and my address and told me someone would be there to help me shortly.
"It'll be okay sweetie. Just sit tight." She told me, in a soothing voice.
I hung up the phone and sank to the floor, covering my face with my pink nightgown and praying that it wasn't true. I sat like that until the door was opened medical personel and police officers rushed in. They headed towards my mama and one officer came over to me. He had dark hair and kind green eyes.
"Sweetie, do you know what happened?" He asked, kneeling down in front of me.
I shook my head in response and began to cry harder. The officer stood up and reached out a hand. I took it and stood up.
"We're gonna go to the station for a little while, okay?" He said, walling towards the door.
I nodded and followed him, hoping this was all just a nightmare, but deep down I knew it had happened. Deep down I knew Mama was gone.