In the end, logic won out over instinct. She crawled forward on her belly, and went slowly to the door. Inch by inch, she gained a little more distance. Knocking came again, and fear paralyzed her leaving her vulnerable for a split second. After a moment it passed, and she moved forward more swiftly. She knew that any minute they would try the door knob, and would find it unlocked. Fear drove her forward, and she reached the knob.
As her fingers touched it, she felt tension. Someone was touching the other end. Horrified, she watched as the knob began to turn. Suddenly there was a crash of metal hitting asphalt, and the turning stopped. Instantly she twisted the lock and heard it click in place. She twisted the deadbolt in place and clicked the chain lock back to the closed position.
Then she ran back to the wine closet, for she knew they would not stop with the door. THEY were here, those who wished for supremacy and wished to gain it through force. Right now they had the house surrounded. It was them she had heard, a warning in the falling of the trashcan next to the window. Her only hope was to get to the hidden closet before they got in. Safety in hiding, necessary because she had to protect the girls hiding within.
And then she heard the sound of an approaching engine, and she faltered in her steps. Her mother and sister. They were returning, oh returning too late. She turned on her heel and ran back to the door, but it was too late. There was the revving of the engine, then the low hiss of the car turning off. A door opened and closed, and women laughing at some joke was heard. The click of a heel, and then the click of a gun. Muffled voices, and then the sound of a woman trying to scream as something covered her mouth. Her heart paused, her breath hitched, and a gun fired.
She started to scream, but before she could, a little voice behind her started to scream. She turned to see a very frightened Emilia holding an even more terrified Rosaline who was wailing her little head off.
Hurridly, she took Rosaline from Emilia who now was shaking, eyes wide. "Hush, child!" she demanded. "They will hear you!" Rosaline only wailed louder. Not knowing what else to do, she covered the child's mouth in an attempt to muffle the sobs.
"Come, Emilia," she ordered, and turned to flee to the closet.
But Emilia stood stock still, silent and unmoving. From her eyes flowed silent tears, and her chest was rising and falling erratically. "Come on!" she hissed through clenched teeth.
But Emilia stared past her, her eyes huge. She turned to look behind her, and a man in black crawled through an open window. His features were hidden behind black sunglasses, though it was deep in the night. He even wore a black knit cap, though it was late spring and the nights were warm. Behind him came another, and another, and another until there were 5 in the house, standing like prophets of an evil god. But what she noticed most were the large black guns tucked into each black belt.
"What do you want? Why do you come in like theives through the window?" she asked, trying to sound brave.
They stood, ever silent like statues. However one moved, and plucked Rosaline from her arms. Rosaline wailed, screaming her terror. Sera reached for the child, but he backed away. Another grabbed Emilia by the arm, and harshly dragged her to the door. Emilia also cried out, in pain and fear. Sera reached for her sister, but again this one backed away. Of the three remaining, two unlocked the door and threw it open. She tried to look past and see outside for her family's fate, but the last stood before her, and pointed his gun at her forehead.
"No!" screamed Emilia, but she was dragged outside. She heard the sound of a van door sliding open, and Rosaline's wailing was muted. The door slammed shut, and an engine started.
Rage rose up to cover her fear, and she stared defiantly at the emotionless man. "What are you going to do to them?"
Her answer was the click of the gun. The stone silence of the man terrified her, but she just swallowed and tried to hide her fear. The knowledge that she could very well fall here was making her body shake.
"It takes a cold man to kill an unarmed woman. What threat am I to you?" she asked.
For a second the man relaxed his stance and she used it to her advantage. She ducked down and brought her knee into his crotch. He doubled up and she brought down her closed fists hard on his back. When he fell, she grabbed the gun that fell from his hand. She held it up to his forehead as he started to get up.