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I stood in the front row of the small burial ground. The sun shined brightly over the green hills. The birds chirps echoed across the cemetery. The smell of the damp morning dew covered the fresh cut grass. The frigid morning was briefly interrupted by a flood of emotion, as a wave of sniffles faded in and out. People gathered to remember the life taken to soon.
The small casket was slowly being lowered into the ground. To my left were my sisters. Beyonce held my niece to her chest trying to calm the young girl caught in a sad confusion. Bey was attempting to hold herself together for her daughter and new twins, but everyone could see she was holding the burden of feeling as if the child's death was her fault. As for Maggie, she tried to muffle her sobs with a damp tissue crinkled in her palm as she also comforted our mother.
But it was a different story to my right. It was my wife. Kelly. She composed herself. Her cheeks remained dry. She just watched as shovels of dirt were now about to cover six years of her life. Her face blank. But her eyes, they had looked how they had for the past weeks. Dead. The tireless nights of drinking then crying then drinking again. The clear liquors had washed out the once beautiful vibrant brown, into a dreary dark abyss. My hand gripped hers tightly. Trying to real her back. But my love left the day my daughter did.
Two weeks earlier. . .
"Shit, shit, SHIT!" Lance hit the wall of our bedroom. He peeked through the window blinds. "Lance, you're not leaving out of here." I spoke breathlessly. He turned quickly towards me. "I'm getting out of here. I'm taking my daughter with me." He paced. "Lance. Its over. The house is surrounded." I leaned back onto the foot of my California king. After Lance almost beat me into a coma he opened my stitches. I was bleeding a lot and I could feel my head becoming light. Trying to talk him down was maybe buying the police some time to get in here. But time was of the essence as he had Kendra tied up to a dresser across the room from me and she was loosing it.
"I want my mommy!" The young girl started to scream and cry for the fourth time. Lance walked over to her slowly. "Hey, stay the fuck away from her!" I tried to pull out of my restraints. The tall figured man ignored me as he crouched down next to her. "I'm your daddy. We're going to be out of here soon." He tried to touch her face. "NOOO!" Kendra moved back kicking. She struck him in his manhood. He grabbed on to the edge of the dresser grunting in pain. "Kendra, tha-at was NOT very nice." He grabbed a T-shirt from the drawers. "Hey what are you doing?" I questioned. " Lance drenched the T-shirt in a liquid. Kendra yelped as he pulled her back by her hair putting the T-shirt over her mouth. "STOP STOP! Get off- of her!" I struggled trying to get untied. The young girl struggle to stay awake as the effects of the chemical ran its course. She soon was quiet and still.
Lance fell back next to her breath heavy a bit. "What did you do to her you mother fucker?" I could feel my hands numbing from my constant struggle. "She's going to be fine." He said grabbing her limp body onto his lap. "Leave her alone." I looked at him in disgust. "Thats the problem. Nobody wants to leave us alone." He stared down stroking Kendra's face. "But that will be over soon sweetie." He took out a revolver. "Lance what are you doing?" I started to panic. "It's quiet." Tears filled the mans eyes. I soon noticed as well. The sound of men's voices and police sirens were hushed. My eyes widened as he pulled out shinny yellow revolver bullets. "Lance don't do this. Please." He loaded them one by one. The man picked Kendra up placing her head in the crook of his neck. "Lance you don't have to do this." I tried to get him to rethink what he was doing. The chamber clicked close. "LAPD Lance Gross open up! We have you surrounded!" The knock boomed through the house. "Here they come." He ran his fingers through Kendra's hair as he held the loaded weapon. "Think about what this will do to Kelly. Kendra has a loving mother and friends. Your going to take her from that?" I panicked trying to get myself out of the trap I was in. The sound of the front doors being broken down made me jump. "Don't worry honey. We're going home." He whispered into Kendra's ear. Everything moved slowly. The sound of the polices feet moved closer as they came up the steps. "Lance, No." My pleases turned into quiet sobs. Lifting the barrel to his temple he pulled the trigger.
