Song of the White Nightingale

Chapter IV | The Echo

 "Now who could that be?" Kara asked.

"Who do you think? Have you been listening the whole time?" Sam said to her.

"Everyone! Be quiet!" Joseph whispered as loudly as he could. "Get down, and hide." He got up to go open the door, but right before he reached for the handle he jumped back as the front door was blasted from its place, flying through the house.

Joseph was lying on the ground after he leapt back, and look up to see three silhouettes standing at the doorway. There was a faint smoke visible from the moonlight, probably from the shotgun blast. After a moment, they began to make their way inside the house.

The sound of boots approaching slowly from the darkness of the night got louder with each step. The light from the moon was just bright enough to allow Kara to recognize one of the men as he stepped inside.

"Mr. Cromwell?" Kara said looking up at him. He wore his navy blue Peacekeeper uniform that bore the Ministry's symbol on his chest, and had a long black coat. Kara could see small shotguns protruding from his coat pointed towards her and her family.

"Good evening Kara," he replied, without moving. "I heard your father was back in town, and it was a shame that he didn't bother to say hello to an old friend."

"Leave them alone, you can take me," Joseph pleaded.

Mr. Cromwell had a stone cold gaze. He looked down on them like they were animals, frightened and backed into a corner. "Hmm. Well unfortunately, you're no longer who I'm after," he said turning to Kara, and expressed a slight grin.

"They don't know anything, alright? They know nothing!" Joseph exclaimed, holding Kara at his side.

Ignoring Joseph, Mr. Cromwell said to Kara, "I am very upset you know, Kara. My little girl really liked you. I had no idea your father was a rat until recently. And all rats must be dealt with, including the filth that they spawn." His voice was filled with malice and anger.

"They know nothing!" Joseph said louder this time, looking at his son before turning back to Mr. Cromwell. Quietly and earnestly, he continued, "I have completely left them in the dark their entire lives. Please, leave them be."

Mr. Cromwell and the other Peacekeepers moved further into the house, circling around them. "You're not a very good liar, Joseph."

Kara, who was near her father, quickly moved behind him as Mr. Cromwell raised his gun. She kept her eyes still peeked around his side. Sam, who was hiding behind the living room couch, raised his head slightly higher so he could see. Karen stood completely still.

Without an ounce of fear in his voice, Joseph looked Mr. Cromwell straight in the eyes, and said, "This will be the last time you ever enter my house."

Kara watched as her father quickly motioned his right hand upwards, and the floorboards underneath Mr. Cromwell followed suit, shooting him straight up into the ceiling. Almost as instantly as Joseph had moved, he forcefully motioned his left hand across his body, and the living room couch and loveseat were flung into the air towards the other two men, leaving Sam visible. It looked as if he was flinging all the furniture around with his mind. Mr. Cromwell, while expecting some kind of resistance from Joseph, was unable to evade the attack, and hit the ceiling and fell back down onto the floor. The other two men with him smacked against the walls, and sat on the ground each with furniture on top of them, preventing them from getting up.

"Come on, let's move!" Joseph beckoned. "We need to leave, now!"

He motioned for them to head out the back door, following behind them as they made their way out. Joseph glanced behind him, and saw a Peacekeeper standing back up. He quickly spun around and stared momentarily at the Peacekeeper. The soldier raised his rifle and began to pull back on the trigger, Joseph raised his right arm, palm facing the barrel of the gun and he clenched his hand into a fist. In a flash the gun burst in the Peacekeeper's hands, the small metal fragments flew through the soldier and blood sprayed into the air.