1.
Soft moonlight slowly filter in through the venetian blinds hanging in the window creating rays of soft white light in the dark. barely enough to accent the edges of the furniture in the room. gentle sparkles of light reflecting off of the glass eyes of the pile of teddy bears in the corner.
Gentle snores can be heard as she sleeps in her bed. Laying there curled up tightly, dreams of the next day's events to come wafting through her subconscious, after being up late too excited to go to bed when it was time to. The trip had been planned for weeks.
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"Be quiet I don't want you to wake Kat," Melinda says as she sits on the couch with her date sitting down beside her.
It was not a new thing for her to leave Kat by herself. She had done it a few times before. Even though Kat was only 12, she had proven that she could take care of herself for a few hours at least.
Through slurred speech Grant began groping Melinda's breasts has he declared his intentions, "After the night we had at the bar you'll probably wake up half the neighborhood."
At his touch Melinda jerked back resulting in a loud crash as the lamp next to the couch fell to the floor and shattered.
Too drunk to consider, or even care, about the noise, Grant's hand started moving over Melinda's body. Sliding down her stomach and over her thighs reaching for that place between her legs. His frustration becoming aparent as the snarl escaped his lips and her legs clamped shut.
"Stop before you wake up Kat"
_______________
"Mom?"
"Mom?"
Stirring in her bed, the loud crash, raising her from her peaceful slumber, cost Kat to sit up and wipe the sleep from her eyes. Her small feet touching floor, feeling the cool of the night seep its way into her skin.
_______________
"What the fuck do you mean stop?", exclaimed Grant, you as he became more and more drunk from the alcohol still in his stomach. "You let me all up under your shirt at the bar getting you wet as fuck and now that I'm hard as hell you say stop?! Bitch, I'm getting that pussy one way or another."
Melinda's eyes grew large in shock at his threat fearing the worst. Her mind racing as she feared for Kat as well. But the terror building inside only increased as she realized more and more that he was too big to fight off.
_______________
Kat slowly padded her feet through her dark room towards the door. The voices barely audible from down the hall.
"Mom?"
Out in the hall the soft light from the living room gently glowed from an odd angle. Walking down the hall the sound of a man's angry voice got cleared and Kat's heart began to quicken in fear of the unknown.
Stepping into the living room the broken lamp became visible with shards of broken ceramic just inches from her feet. "Mom, what happened?"
Grant's eyes fell on Kat and in his drunken rage the feral beast within moved quickly pinning Kat to the wall. His grip so tight all Kat could do was scream as she watched his spit covered lips move as he talked.
"Well fuck Melinda, she's sexier than you. since you want to be a bitch, I'll get pussy from her." His mouth moving from her cheek to her neck then to her mouth.
Melinda sat in fear crying, terrified of the consequences. "It will be over soon. Just do as he says."
Grant chuckled softly, "Now you want to be all willing. I'm going to enjoy this!"
**WHAM!**
Kat's small knee moved with precision, compressing Grants testicle between it and his pelvis, causing him to pause on his assault.
**WHAM!**
**WHAM!**
Twice more she drove her knee up and Grant's grip fell as he dropped to his knees gripping his testicles. "Uhhggggg," was all that escaped his lips as the impact made his eyes bulge like saucers.
Kat knew what to do. She had known since she was 8 when her father taught her how to use it. She ran for the closet in her mother's room. Reaching it, she grabbed the step stool and climbed up, her fingers gripping the heavy box.
Silver never shined so bright in the light as she opened the gun safe. There in front of her was her father's Smith & Wesson .45 caliber ACP. His badge number engraved on the side. He had taught Kat how to use it at a tender age before tragedy struck and he was killed in the line of duty. The reason, the pistol she held had jammed.
Tears streaming down her cheeks she cried, "Please don't jam. Please Daddy make it work right". With practiced precision she loaded the clip slamming it in place and with all her strength she slid it back loading the hollow point shell on the chamber.
Rising slowly, after Kat left his sight, Grant rubbed his group one last time. "That fucking bitch! Now she's really going to get it. I'm going to ram it in her so much harder than her knee ever could."
Pleading, in tears, Melinda cried and begged, "Please Grant, no. Please." She reached, in vain, for the phone on the table only to have it knocked away, to shatter against the wall.
Stepping out into the hallway, Kat held the semi automatic or in front of her. The barrel lightly sagging from the weight, she looked at Grant at the end of the hall as he stepped toward her.
"What? Give me that before you hurt yourself. It's damn near half your size. You'll kill yourself."
Kat stood firm as she looked at him through tear filled eyes. The barrel shaking as she sobbed. Her finger on the trigger guard as her father had taught her.
"Give it to me you stupid little bitch!" Grant screamed at her as his feet lurched him forward. In a matter of seconds he'd close the distance and have her.
"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kat screamed at the top of her lungs.
**BOOM!!**
Click-clack
**BOOM!!**
Click-clack
Over and over she pulled the trigger. All eight rounds found their mark. As though it were some hereditary gift they all hit center mass. Grant only fell after the last shot as the force of the impacts kept him on his feet. The second shot killed him as it blew his aorta in two.
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"Mom? Mommy? Where are you?"
Images passed in a blur as she moved. One in the hall, the next at the end of the hall. Her fingers grasping the broken receiver, "Help. Someone help!" The silence in the phone so deafening.
The next image was of her gripping the phone as a man in a police uniform only in front of her.
"My name is Jacob Greere". Let's get you out of here.
_______________
**RING**
**RING**
Jumping awake, the reality of the dream still fresh in her mind, Kathleen reached for her gun on the end table. The same .45 ACP that belonged to her father. Her badge number engraved next to his.
"As long as you have this I will never let it jam." Her father's voice in her head as fresh as that night so long ago.
**Ring**
She answered her cell phone. "This better be good."
"Lieutenant, you better get it here. It's insane. Multiple victims all dead. It's the worst sight I've ever seen." Adam West had been her partner for almost her entire career.
"I'll be there soon."