12.24.07

Prologue

           

December 24, 2007. That is an anniversary date of a very eventful day. It's not one of those couple anniversaries that most people think of when it comes to that word, but the day my parents died. I grew up knowing when they died, how they died, and who killed them. I grew up wanting revenge for everything I witnessed that day. Something I shouldn't have witnessed happen to my parents.

I was just a ten year old girl enjoying time with my parents at home. It was actually the day before Christmas and you should know how exciting that day is for a little kid. That night we sat in our living room, laughing at whatever was on the television and drinking the hot cocoa my mother made. This was the time I finally get to spend with them because they were rarely home. Their job was the wedge that divided all three of us for most of the year except holidays. Both of them had the same job which they didn't really explain to me what they did back then. But now I know it's also the reason why they're dead and I was left parentless.

Let me continue the story of that night. We were sitting there laughing until we heard a loud bang coming from right outside our house. At least I thought it was just a loud bang. My parents looked panicked as they searched around until another one came which sounded closer than the last one. My father grabbed me and forced me off the couch. That's when I knew we were in some kind of trouble. They took me into the kitchen and my father revealed a hidden pin pad behind a small painting. I look at my mother who kept her guard up and her hand on her hip. Suddenly, there was a whoosh sound and the wall popped out, sliding to the side. I was fascinated by this because it was a big deal being I was a kid and all. A knock at our front door pulled me out of my astonished faze, followed by a ragged deep voice.

"Randy, Jennifer, it's your buddy." The voice spoke from behind the locked door. "Des, Des Styles. I just want to talk, let's talk."

"Okay baby," father pushed me toward the room and kneeled down next to me. "Don't come out of here until someone you know and we trust very well comes to get you."

"Like you? I'll wait for you, I promise."

"No sweetheart," mother kneeled down as well. "If we don't come get you, that means we're not able to."

"What are you saying?"

"Baby, just sit tight down there." father said. "Please promise us Luce, that you won't come out of there unles-"

"I don't have time for this." the man became overbearing with the loud banging on the door.

"Here," mother took off the locket she had never taken off. "Hold on to this for me," she said the tears noticeable in her eyes. "I love you."

She pulled me into a hug. "I love you, mother."

"I love you too, but please get down there." father said as he lightly nudged me.

I followed his orders and entered the room. I slowly walked down the steps then I heard the secret door shut. A dim light was shining so I could see and I made it to the bottom. My eyes wondered around the clean room until they landed on a bunch of screens on the wall. I went to it curious as to why there were so many screens. A big control center was at the bottom of them, so I traced my fingers across it. Next thing, a bright light shone from all the screens. Once my eyes adjust to the light, I could see every part of my house. I spot the screen where my parents were talking to some guy. The guy looked a few years older than my parents. He had thin hair on top of his head and was dressed up in a nice black suit which didn't cover his bloated stomach that well. My mother's hand was still secured on her hip. I sat there and watched them as they talked that lead up to arguing and shouting. No sounds came along with the images, but I could tell things were heating up by their facial expressions. Then there was a fast transition of guns flying up. My parents backed up as a group flooded into the foyer. I saw them glance at each other one last time before splitting different ways. Gunshots were fired at them, but they got away.

For at least half an hour, my parents fought off those bad guys. Then they dropped their guns and started fighting without them. I watched them stay strong until it got too much for them. They were taken down and kneeled before this man, who interrupted our night. I gasped at the sight of his gun that pointed at my mother. I don't know why I didn't just look away, but I kept staring at the scene. I tightened my grip on my mother's locket when her head flew back and she falls to the floor. I might've only been ten, but I knew what that meant. My father's face was covered by his hands, his shoulders shook for a few moments then he looked down out his wife, my mother, who was bleeding from her head. He tried grabbing her, but he was down before he got to her. My heart raced faster than it ever has that night. I didn't know if it was real or not.

The group left after they searched all around the house and took stuff. I was still down there in the secret room in dead silence, unsure of what to do. I promised my parents I wouldn't leave this place until someone I knew and trusted came and got me. Even though I was eager to leave, my body was frozen as I stared at the screen with my parents lying on the floor in a pool of their own blood.

Hours later, the sun had risen and I was still wide awake in my same position. People entered the house and I whimpered from fright. They kneeled down and examined my parents, still lying on the floor. That whoosh sound of the door appeared and I still didn't move. Footsteps came toward me, but I was completely frozen.

"Oh no," a woman's voice echoed. "Barry, I think she saw the whole thing."

"This isn't good." the man said. "She's going to be traumatized for rest of her life."

"We can help her forget."

They had a long conversation of what to do with me. As they did that, I watched the other people take my parents lifeless body away. The big pool of blood looked impossible to clean up.

"Lucille hey, do you remember me, Barry?" he stood in front of me and I nod.

He talked to me until he convinced me that we would be going someplace else that was safer. I kept the locket tight in my hand as we exited the house into the sunny daylight.

This is how I know when they died, how they died, and who killed them.