Featuring Michel Chavelier and Nathaniel Zampella.
The evening light shone through the curtains of the place Erin called home, frantically she searched for her car keys, already knowing she was late for picking up Katie, this wasn’t what she needed right now, she need to prove to Nate, to everyone, that despite dark place she found herself trapped in that she could, indeed look after her children without any problems. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when she found them lying under the sofa cushion, smiling away to herself at the thought of Katie being the one putting them there, thinking it was some sort of hide and seek game.
Picking them up Erin headed out the house, rushing she carelessly dropped the house keys as she tried to lock up, she took a moment to compose herself, telling herself she couldn’t turn up to Katie’s school all worked up and frantic. Walking down the pathway Erin turned her back to the road as she remembered she had to check this mornings mail. “Right, time to go” she told herself, turning to head towards her car that was only parked a few feet down the road, suddenly stopping in her tracks.
“Erin looked up, confusion clear on her face. Her eyebrows drew together as she tried to place the puzzle piece. These men were, clearly, no friends of her. None she had ever seen before, to be frank. The initial confusion turned into deep rooted suspicion, and then naïve anger. Just as the blonde was about to open her mouth for one of the obvious questions – Who are you? What do you want? – Michel lifted the rifle and pulled the trigger”
The shots hit hard, over and over again as multiple one where fired into her torso. With a thud her body crashed to the ground, the sounds around her turning into a dead silence, her vision become blurred as she found it almost impossible to catch her breath. She could feel her dress becoming soaked, soaked in her own warm, crimson blood. Erin didn’t even feel the final blows that the unknown man delivered to her, hell she couldn’t even make out his face let alone the final words he spoke to her.
As she lay bleeding on the pavement Erin had no idea as to how long she had been there, she didn’t even hear the sirens of the emergency services that had turned up and where now attending to her. Attempt, that to be frank, was a little more than too late, it was too late the moment the bullets ripped through her skin.
She could feel the men working on, the pressure they held upon her torso to stop the bleeding. She knew it was hopeless, she could feel herself slowly drifting away, her fading mind playing flashbacks of her most treasured moments, from the first time she set eyes upon Nate, the first time she heard Katie laughing during the time she babysat her, when she realized she loved Nate and that her loved her, their wedding, their life, Dominic’s first scan, the first time she held him and knowing everything she and Nate had gone through during her pregnancy had been worth it because in the end they had created such a precious life together. Every good memory flashed into her mind, she forgot all about the bad, she didn’t think about the fact her and Nate where close to separating. For the first time, in a long time Erin felt love, she felt compassion, she felt free.
It wasn’t until she smelt a familiar smell, the smell that always brought her comfort, it was Nate, she could smell his clonge, and with that she could feel him warm arms wrapped around, her limp, lifeless body, she couldn’t make him out, his face was nothing but a blur of light, her light, his words brought her comfort, she tried to speak but no words came out.
“I know baby, I love you too. I’m sorry Erin” Nate choked, hand coming up and running over his face before nodding his head as he looked down at her. The next eight words being the hardest words he’d ever would say.”It’s okay, we’ll be okay. You’re free now.”
She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, how him and the kids where her sunshine, and how sorry she was that the demons she battled inside of he had crippled her and won, but he was right, she was free from all that, she was free from the pain, the anger, the fear.
She could feel it coming, her last breath making it’s way out of her lips. She didn’t want her life to end, not this way but at least, most of all, she was cradled by the one she loved, by the one who had shown her how to love. This was it, her final moments, the last breath she’d ever take and the last tear to ever fall upon her cheek.
