Living Past the End

You stand quickly, pulling the shirt on the back of your desk chair over your head. You quietly close the door, turning the lock and angling the chair under the handle. You hate the fact that this had become almost routine for you. Lock the door, hold Adrianna, wait until your father stops banging on the door in a drunken rage, stay up all night, and patch your beaten mother up in the morning. At this point, you were glad your friend Aaron talked you into playing baseball for the high school. It gave you an excuse to keep a metal bat in your room.

You return to the bed, propping yourself up on the pillows leaning back into the wall. Adrianna leans into your side, closing her eyes tightly. "Garrett, I'm scared."

"I know. It'll be over in the morning." you say, an unvoiced 'I hope' following it. She just nods, letting her body relax into your chest. As soon as her breathing takes on a regular rhythm, you allow yourself to relax. You haven't heard any noises in an hour, so you let your eyes close. Working on the breathing technique Christa taught you from yoga, you fall into a peaceful trance.

Then a single gunshot shatters the silence.