3 The calm before the storm

Here I go

"Erik!" I call out while advancing towards him in the school corridor.

"Yeah, what do you want? "He asks while looking down on me.

" Sorry I just wanted to say that I do not have any friends, so I w-was wondering if you wanted to be friends? " I ask nervously.

He chuckles

"I mean do you really think we would want to be friends with someone that pushed Bertha Peers down the stairs?"

"It wasn't me OK, she pushed herself down- she wants you guys to think that it was me"

" I see you are as bitter as ever, lying like that - don't you feel disgusted with yourself" He spits on my face

"Just because we're in high school, you changed your hair, and the way you dress does not mean we will forget what kind of person you are Elena!" He exclaims, while all his friends start to snicker towards me. All of them are looking down on me with the same look Erik has.

I sigh and I start walking out of the school. I see Baron waiting for me by the gate, I run excitedly towards him.

"What are you doing here? I thought you said you had a job interview." I asked

"I got the job, im starting tomorrow."

"Mum will be so happy when she hears that"

"yeah it will get her off my back for a while," He says while scratching his head

" For old times sake, I thought let me Come and walk my sister home from school "

"Let's go then Baronie" I grab his hand excitedly and start walking.

"I told you, I do not like that name" He mumbles.

As we were walking I tell him everything that happened today at school.

He suddenly halts and grabs my shoulders

"El, Unless you refuse the bad things happening to you, you will continue to suffer from your own consent!" he shouts while shaking me.

" ok-aay, I g-ot itt, st-opp shaking me!" I say while struggling to speak properly.

He halts and looks at me with a smile. It is a cloudy day today - The warm sun that was hidden by the clouds throughout the day beams and kisses his face

"Never give up little sister," He says with a bright smile

I smile back but I notice two figures coming towards us from behind Baron- men in black, one wearing neck gaiters and the other balaclava but both men wearing dark shades. I start to feel tense, something doesn't feel right. The sound of the engine getting closer and the sound of the tyres crunching on the rocks-I slightly turn and out of the corner of my eye, I see a black Mercedes speedily approaching where we were standing.

It suddenly stops right next to us, leaving tire marks on the road. Everything happens in slow motion-before I could process what was happening, Baron grabs me and covers me with his body.

I hear gunshots, three fired from behind baron and six from the direction of the car

"what's going on? "

I feel Baron's body shake as we fall to the ground. I am trying to look around and assess the situation but baron is lying on top of me.

When we hear the car start and speed away, I try getting up

"Baron?"

No response

"Baron?" I start to panic

His limp, not moving, I withdraw my hands from his body and I notice a red liquid on my hand.

My eyes widen but not only in shock but in panic.

"Baron!" I wail, I start shaking his body to try and get some responses but there is none.

Suddenly I feel his body being lifted. It was was the two men in black from before. They looked at me as if they were surprised I was still alive.

"What did you do to my brother, what did you do to him!" I start to sob as I am assessing his body, they remained silent unsure of how to answer.

"Somebody call the ambulance!" I call out desperately. People start to gather before the scene that had unfolded in front of them. The two men in black had disappeared, no where to be seen.

There six holes on his back- they shot him six times.

Ten minutes later the ambulance arrives, he is barely breathing when we reached the hospital and the doctors are doing all they can to save his life. I am sitting in the waiting area as a police officer came to ask me a few questions.

"What is your name?"

"Elena" I murmur not having the will to talk. All I could think about was Baron.

"Elena who?"

I remain silent, silently I start to cry.

"Listen I understand this is a really difficult moment for you right now but, you need to answer my questions "He tries to say gently

" Get away from her! " I hear my mother shout as she is approaching us.

" Mam, it is mandatory for m-"she interrupts him by shoving him backwards.

The police officers eyes widen in surprise

" Don't you see, She is 15 years old - she just witnessed her brother being shot. Do you not have any sympathy whatsoever! " She looks furious, her face red.

" Alright, your daughter will have to report to the station tomorrow morning to give a statement and for questioning. If she fails to show up we will pursue."He sternly says and leaves.

-"M-omm" I stutter, I reach out for a hug but she slaps me hard across the face.

"It should have been you!" she says while roughly pushing me towards the bathroom.

"Mom, why are you treating me like this?" I look up to her with tears on my face

"Shut up and stop your annoying whingeing" She raises her hand as a gesture that she will slap me again if I don't obey her.

"You're going to lie to the police tomorrow, you hear me... You did not see any of those men's faces"

"But mom they hurt Baron!"

She grabs me by the ear and slams me on the counter head first.

" You will not say anything or we are next, understand? "

I slowly nod my head while shacking, she pinches my ear further as she increases the pressure.

"I don't hear you girl!"

"Ya-ss" I stutter in fright.

She releases me and nonchalantly walks out of the bathroom and I follow.

We sit in the waiting room for hour and finally the doctor comes out. We stand, ready to hear he is okay.

"How is my son?" My mom asks desperately.

"We did all we could but...he didn't make it"