Let Me Go

Chapter One | Save Me

"Mom! Please? Please, mom? Can I just buy one more shirt? I want to get a shirt from PINK!" I begged my mom knowing eventually she would give in to my puppy dog eyes.

We were school shopping. I would be returning back to school next week. I had spent the entire summer with my momma. We were close but the summer had turned into a summer of bonding. Dad had extra work to do this summer at the office, so mom and I went shopping and had lunch dates more than one would consider normal.

If I got this one shirt I had my eye on, I vowed that the shopping trip would be over and my life would be complete. My mom rolled her eyes and started leading the way to the specific store the shirt was at. I carried the shopping bags full of the other outfits she had already bought me. I loved everything and could not wait to have a mini fashion show once we got home.

Once we walked into the store and I found the teal shirt in my size I followed mom to the register and watched and she swiped her card as the PINK employee placed my shirt into a bag.

"Thank you mom!" I whispered, while leaning into her for a hug.

"You are very welcome baby, can't wait to see you wear it!" She said, with a smile.

I never would have known that she would never see me wear my shirt.

We walked out of Victoria's Secret holding hands.

That was when the explosion happened. The whole building was shaking and every one was screaming. My mother grabbed me and shielded me as people ran past us shrieking. She was protecting me with her motherly instinct. Before I could understand what was happening my mother shoved me, causing me to lose my balance and I hit the floor hard.

I turned to look at my mom behind me. I watched a piece of the second floor fall onto her, crushing her. I heard this horrible piercing scream. It took me a minute to come to the realization that the noise was my screaming caused by the horrific pain in my chest of watching my mother die in front of me. All that could be seen of her under the cement crushing her was her hand. I ran over to grip her fingers with mine. I begged her to I don't even know, to come back to me, to get up, to do something. I tried to lift the heavy concrete off of her but it was too late and I was too weak. It would not budge.

I screamed for help. I needed someone to come and help me save my momma. It was chaos all around me. People were screaming and running all around me. They were running to save their own lives.

It was useless.

My mother.

My mother was dead.

My momma was gone.

I was not leaving my mother. I held onto my mom's hand as if I would die myself if I let go.

"Momma, mom, I love you. I promise to always love you. We'll get through this together like we always do. You're my best friend."

Tears were streaming didn't my face and I did not realize I had been nonstop screaming.

A young teenager ran past me. He had light hair and a scar on his face. I was hoping he could help me.

"Hey! You! Please, please help me. My mom is stuck. I need help. She is going to die, we need to save her."

He didn't say a word. He stared at me for what felt like forever. It felt like time had stopped. He slowly shook his head no. His eyes said no because his lips could not form the words.

I watched him mouth the word "sorry". He was sincere.

I stared at his face. I memorized the scar on his face. The scar was from his mid cheek to his ear but looked like a knife blade had cut him there.

His eyes were a deep, dark hazel. I watched him run off. He had disappeared.

I was left all by myself holding my mom's hand.

A few hours had passed by before firemen and police officers had reached us. My dad was a detective and was called once we were found.

I remember the firemen trying to pull our hands apart but I was putting up a fight. I was not going to leave my mother. The fireman pried my fingers from hers and lifted me off the ground. He held me to his chest as I wailed. The sobs would not stop. He whispered, "it's okay now, I got you."

I silently whispered, "Goodbye" to myself. It was for my mom.

We left the mall and I was so numb.

My father held me while we cried as the news update appeared on the tv. According to officials, the mall had been bombed because a Jewellery store had been robbed and a getaway was needed.

My mother was one of many that had died that day.

I was 10 and left without a mother.

At my momma's funeral I had promised her I would find the person responsible for her death and make sure they would be put away for a long, long time.

I was going to one way or another.

I am 19 now. Today is the anniversary of mom's death. She died nine years ago today.

I had got a call from a few of my father's friends from the FBI, they have the identity of my mom's killer. But, they've asked for my help. My father does not approve but I need to fulfill my promise and not even he can change my mind.

I am not going to break the promise to my mom. I told the team that I would be on board and do what needed to be done.

So here I was, a college freshmen starting a new campus, heading to my first class of the day. This was all part of the assignment. I walked into the classroom that was my Psychology class. I saw the teacher sitting at the desk in the front of the room. It was a small room and not many seats available. Only one seat was still open. I found the last seat with my eyes and glanced at who was sitting next to it.

It was Jason Conrad.

Just the man I was looking for.

I would get to his brother, Alex, one way or another.

I was not breaking my promise to my mother.