Shadows of Betrayal

“I can’t sleep!” Said a small voice. “The storm is too scary!” It whined

“Stop talking!” Said another voice, this one annoyed and irritated.

“Mila, leave her alone,” a strong voice on the other side of the room said. The three of them were lying on the carpeted floor of the playroom in the basement during a stormy night.

“Why should I be kept up by that baby?” Mila teased, chuckling a little.

“Hey! I’m not a baby!” Whined Mary, “Make her stop, Charlie!” She sat up.

“Mila, not one more word. Go to sleep.” Charlie said.

“Sorry,” Mila said solemnly, complying with her brother's words and lying down to sleep.

Charlie walked over to his baby sister and sat next to her. “You’re fine, Mary. Just ignore her. It’s time to sleep. Close your eyes and count some sheep.”

“Fine.” Mary frowned but laid her head on her brother’s lap. Charlie ran his fingers through her hair and hummed a soft tune. His little sister, who was the reason the 3 of them were in the playroom in the first place, dozed off, leaving Charlie and Mila.

“Charlie, how do you do that?” Mila mumbled.

“Do what?” Charlie asked, quite confused.

“Make her listen to you. You’re so good with her, and I try really hard, but I feel like she hates me.” Mila said, sitting up.

“She doesn’t hate you, Mila. You are a really good big sister, and you do a lot for her.” Charlie paused, visibly thinking about his next words. “She may not realize it now, but she will,” he said, softly moving Mary to lay on a pillow.

“When?” Mila asked, looking at her brother with sad eyes. Charlie went over and gave her a hug.

“It will happen,” He said, looking into her dark brown eyes.

“Promise?” Mila asked eagerly.

“Pinky promise.” Charlie held out his pinky for Mila to wrap hers around, and she did so. “Now go to sleep,” He said, moving to his spot on the floor and lying down. It wasn’t long before all three of them were asleep.

~~~~~:~~:~~~~~

There was a blood-curdling scream that came from upstairs. The 3 siblings woke up with a start, Mila and Mary were quite drowsy, but Charlie was completely alert.

“What was that?” Mila asked.

“I’m not sure… everything is probably fine. Stay here, though. I’m going to check it out.”

“I’m scared!” Mary cried.

“Everything is fine, Mary,” Charlie said. “If it makes you feel better, get close to each other and hide under the blankets,” Charlie said, starting to stand up. Suddenly, two small hands grabbed one of his legs.

“Please don’t go! I don’t want you to die!” Mary cried, a few tears starting to run down her face.

“Mary! Stop, it’s fine!” Mila said, standing up and walking to Charlie and Mary. She bent down and picked Mary up, holding her in her arms. “He isn’t going to die. Everything will be okay.” Mary turned away from Charlie and buried her face in her big sister’s shoulder, still crying, but trying to contain the noise.

“I’ll be back, I promise,” Charlie said, softly wrapping his arms around Mila and Mary, planting a light kiss on Mary’s head. “Stay here, and stay quiet,” he said. “Do not, under any circumstance, make any noise,” he whispered, looking at Mila and giving a slight, knowing nod.

Charlie cautiously turned the corner and started walking up the stairs. He tread lightly, ensuring that no one would hear him. At the top of the stairs, he saw a small light coming from the kitchen, just through the doorway to the left of him. He slowly poked his head into the opening, hoping to see who it was. There was a man roughly opening the drawers and cupboard, shoving things around. Charlie pulled out his phone and started to dial the emergency line, but just then, the man turned around. 

“Hey! You! Kid! Put down the phone!” He yelled! Charlie jumped but continued to dial 911. The young boy turned and sprinted down the stairs, turning the corner, and running straight past where the girls were, hoping the man wouldn’t notice them if he followed him down the stairs.

“911, what is the address of your emergency?” A voice said, coming from the phone.

“1501 Juniper Lane, Golden Estates,” Charlie said urgently. He ran into the small bathroom and closed the door behind him. 

“What’s your name?” The voice asked.

“Charlie. Charlie Ross. I’m 15 years old,” he said, locking the door and leaning on it to keep it closed. The man started pounding on the door.

“Kid! If you don’t come out here right now and hang up the phone, I’m gonna shoot through the door!” The man screamed angrily.

“And what’s going on?” The voice began again.

“A man! A man broke into our house and is threatening to shoot me! Please hurry!” The teen yelled into the phone.

“You twerp!” The man started slamming himself into the door.

“Help is on the way, don’t hang up.” The voice calmly said.

“Open this door! You have to the count of 3!” The man yelled, getting more and more impatient.

“It’s too late! Police are coming!” Charlie yelled through the door. Just then, there was a loud bang, and Charlie’s ears began to ring. 

He fell to the floor, confused about why his legs gave out. He braced himself for the door to burst open, but nothing happened. The man had stopped ramming into the door. Everything had gone quiet, except for the distant sirens wailing through the town, slowly getting louder. The door handle began to jiggle a bit, and Charlie flinched, afraid of the face that would appear when the lock was picked. The handle slowly moved down, and the door opened.

“Charlie!” A familiar voice cried. He realized it was Mila. She dropped to her knees and began to cry.

“Mila? Is that you?” Charlie said.

“Are you okay?” Mila said, her voice cracking and slowly moving towards him.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?” He asked. He used his arms to sit up and then noticed the small pool of blood next to his leg. A jolt of pain rushed through his body and he let out a scream.

“Mila? What’s going on?” Mary’s high-pitched voice asked, getting close to the bathroom.

“Mary, stay out there, okay? Go sit on the couch.” Charlie said, trying to hide the pain in his voice.

“Why?” Mary asked, fear in her voice.

“Just stay out there, Mary!” Mila yelled, a little more aggressive than she meant, tears still streaming down her face. Mary started to cry but went to sit on the couch. There was a loud bang upstairs and all of the children flinched in fear. Mary began to cry louder, and Mila stood up, prepared to do anything she had to in an attempt to keep her brother and sister safe.

“Police!” A deep male voice called, the sound echoing throughout the house.

“We’re down here! Please! We need help!” Mila called, running to Mary, picking her up, and holding her close. A stampede of men ran down the stairs.

“Hands on your head, everyone on the ground!” A tall man yelled. Mila set Mary down and complied, Mary started to cry even louder.

“Help! Please!” Called Charlie, as his vision started to go blurry. A man rushed to the bathroom and looked at Charlie.

“10-52, we have a boy wounded in the basement bathroom,” the man said into his walkie-talkie.

“10-17,” a voice said through the walkie. The man kneeled down next to Charlie and began putting a towel on the wound. Charlie screamed out again.

“I’m Officer Jones, what’s your name, kid?” Jones asked.

“Charlie,” he groaned in pain.

“Harris, Wade, make sure those two are okay and then take them to the patrol car. Fredricks, stay with me. The rest of you search the house for anything else.” He called out. 

“Yes sir!” A few voices said as they sprang into action, following the orders. 

~~~~~:~~:~~~~~

Just mere minutes later, Charlie was on a stretcher getting lifted into the ambulance. Blue and red lights were flashing everywhere, and the neighbors had come out of their houses to see what was the matter.

“Charlie!” Mary called out, trying to run to him, but an officer stopped her. Mila ran and picked her up.

“Mary, stay with me. Everything will be alright,” Mila said, grabbing her sister and hugging her tight. She had tears running down her face but was trying to be strong for her younger sister. Officer Jones walked up to them and began questioning them to try to fill in the details of what had happened. 

“Sir, may I speak with you for a moment?” Another officer came up to him.

“Yes, but make it quick,” Jones said, walking a few feet from the children. They whispered to each other for a few moments, and then Jones walked back to the children. “Kids, will you come down to the car with me? I have something to tell you,” he said in a solemn voice.

“Yes sir,” said Mila, picking up her sister and bringing her into the backseat of the patrol car. Once they were both seated inside, Jones walked up to the open door.

“Girls, your parents… they’re gone.”