Cast The Die

Chapter Thirty-Nine

When Cole opened the front door, a black truck pulled up next to Cole's BMW and three men jumped out carrying guns.

He slammed the door shut. "Fuck!" he said, locking the door. "Get upstairs, now!"

"You can't fight off three men with guns, Cole!" I shouted.

"I said get upstairs now!" he screamed.

I grabbed my Mum's hand and we ran upstairs, she pulled me into her bedroom, and we pushed her chest of drawers in front of the door like they do in films. I didn't think I'd ever have to do that. She started rummaging through the boxes under her bed like a mad woman and pulled out what looked like a gun. No, it was a gun.

"Mum, what the hell!" why has she got a gun under her bed?

"It's for emergency purposes only, I think this might be an emergency, don't you?" she said. I nodded.

Loud bangs came from downstairs, I couldn't believe he was down there alone. Two of the men were built like mountains, the third was a lot smaller and I couldn't help but assume that was Vinnie. They all had a gun each and I didn't know if Cole had one. But we did.

"Mum, we need to help him" I said quietly, with a lump in my throat. She nodded in agreement and began moving the drawers, slowly. She held the gun like it was a part of her arm, the first time I saw a gun was when Cole shot the bald man, I don't know how to use one, I've never even held one.

I opened the door slowly, listening for footsteps. Another loud bang came from downstairs, and another along with the sound of things smashing onto the floor. A window smashes and I hear a man shout; it wasn't Cole.

"Stay here" my Mum whispered.

"No, I'm coming with you" I whispered back.

"Stay in here, block the door" I really didn't want to let her go out alone and I didn't want to be left alone either. She gave me a pleading look and I nodded. I watched her creep down the hallway to the top of the stairs, she crouched down onto her knees and aimed the gun at something. She turned to go down the stairs and I followed, stopping where she did. There were more loud bangs and I covered my ears; another man shouted and fell to the floor. Suddenly it was silent, no more gun shots, it's over.

I run downstairs to find my Mum, she runs in front of me screaming, telling me to get upstairs but before I can move, I hear another gun shot, not knowing where it came from, everything becomes slow motion. I hear another gun shot and glance up to see Vinnie pointing a gun towards me, but a bullet goes straight through his chest and he falls to the ground. Cole comes around the corner and he's pointing his gun towards Vinnie.

Why aren't I dead? Did he shoot me? I glance down to see blood on the floor, next to my Mum. No this is not happening. This is not happening.

"Mum!" I scream. "No, no, no, no, please no!" I cry. I lift her head onto my lap and push her hair from her face. "Mum! Mum wake up!" my voice is breaking. "No!" I scream so that the whole world can hear me. I can't help but cry out, repeatedly, crying for help, crying for my Mum. She's not breathing, there's no pulse. I pull her up to my chest and cry out again. I see Cole out the corner of my eye, staring at my Mum's body lying in my arms, covered in blood. I hear sirens in the distance. She's dead. She's dead in my arms. My throat burns as I continue to cry out, hoping that there's a God that can hear me and brings her back to me. "Please. Come back to me! Please!" I cry. My vision goes blurry when the policemen rush into the house, paramedics following them. I can't let go of her. I scream as they try and pull me away from my own Mother. I'm kicking and screaming like a child, crying out until my voice disappears. My body shuts down and I fall limp into someone's arms. I'm lifted up and everything goes dark.

This wasn't supposed to happen. A daughter needs her Mother. I need my Mum. My beautiful, caring, kind and loving Mum who would do anything for me. I need her to take me shopping for when I move to University, I need her to help me with what clothes to buy because I'm so indecisive and she always chooses the best things for me. I need her to be there the day I go to University, so she can see my halls and we'll cry together when she leaves me. I need her to pick up the phone when I call her, I need her there when I graduate, watching me walk across the stage as I accept my diploma. I need her to be embarrassing when I bring home my first boyfriend, telling embarrassing stories from when I was a baby. I need her shoulder to cry on when I'm heartbroken. I need her to be there when I come home to show her my engagement ring, to be sitting front row at my wedding, to be there when I'm giving birth to her first grandchild and for her to teach me everything I need to know about being an amazing Mum. I won't have any of that. There's a huge hole in my heart and it will never be filled again. I don't know how I will live my life without her there to guide me, to tell me that everything will be okay. I feel like I will never be okay again.