Until The Trial

Chapter 41

Samantha 

19 yrs ago

Samantha quickly glances around her room one last time. Much of it is still in place. Her drawings on the walls and her Lego sets are proudly displayed on the top of her drawer. Taking a brief second she lightly grazes her finger over her favorite set. A pink cherry blossom tree. It took her hours to make and weeks to earn enough money for it. Refusing to cry she squares her shoulders determined to buy a new cherry blossom Lego set wherever they end up in. Resisting another look around, she heads to the kitchen her feet light as a feather on the floor boards.

"Sammy, come over here," her mother whispers from the counter where she is standing. She frowns noticing nothing in front of her as if she is waiting for something. Or someone.

"Don't make a sound, Sammy, okay?" her mom orders. "Join your brother in the car, I'll be there soon."

"Mum, he's coming," she whispers, "come with me. We still have time to leave." Her mom kisses her forehead and cups her face.

"I'm going to talk with him. After tonight, we are safe, I promise."

"You promised we would leave without telling him. He won't let you go!" Samantha insist desperately trying to get to her mother to understand. "Please mum, you can't tell him. Please."

She smiles softly cupping her cheek, "Honey, I won't be backing down. Go to the car, I will be right there."

"Mum, no come with me! You promised!" The steps creak.

"Go now!" her mother pushes her away. Samantha runs to the garage door. She slips into the car beside her sleeping brother. Samantha waits impatiently for her mom. They should have left without telling him. Why won't her mom listen? She would have had time to pack her Cherry tree had she known her mom was going to break her promise. After a couple of minutes of waiting, she hears her mom scream. She glances at her brother. Assured he is safe, she gets out of the car and goes back into the house. Moving as quietly as possible, she goes and peeks behind the fridge. Her mom is standing with a knife in one hand and a hand hanging limply against her chest. It's broken again, for sure. Samantha narrows her eyes on her father. His dark eyes stare at her mother's with no emotion. The whole kitchen reeks of his drunk breath.

"What do you think you're going to do with that, Zoe? You aren't capable of doing shit," he sneers.

"Yes, I am, and I will," her mom's voice shakes.

"Now suddenly you think you're so brave? What changed?" he steps towards her.

"I won't let you hurt the children. It's time I take care of them, protect them from you."

"You can't do shit, because you aren't worth shit! You're sick! You need help. You keep blaming me for all your fucked up problems, but it's on your messed-up head. I've tried to fix you, but I can't. The children can still be fixed."

"The only one who needs fixing here is you," her mother's grip tightens on the knife. Samantha's mouth drops open. Never has she heard her mum speak to her dad that way.

"The hell you say to me?" he raises his fist.

"Stop it!" Samantha shouts. Her father snaps his gaze to her.

"How many times have I told you to not interrupt your mother and me?"

"Don't hit her, you're the one that's not worth shit!" Samantha yells with fury taking over her fear. 

"I am your father, you don't speak to me that way!" he shouts back, a vein popping from his forehead. "You know what? I think it's time for another lesson since you can't seem to comprehend how to act right." Samantha inches back as her father pulls a gun from his pants.

"No!" her mother yells, bringing the knife up to her father's side. He looks down in shock, but before he can react, she stabs him two more times. Samantha's eyes breath gets heavy as her father slumps forward, falling onto the tiles. Her mother stares at him her mouth agape.

"Thomas," she sobs, kneeling next to him. She turns him over, his blood smearing all over her. "I'm sorry, Thomas, I'm sorry." She sobs. Samantha kneels behind her mother, her eyes unable to leave her father as he gasps, trying to go breathe. Minutes pass as her father coughs up blood and the life slowly leaves his eyes. Blood is supposed to be bright red, why is her fathers blood so dark? Is it because he is a dark person? Police sirens sound in front of the house, breaking through Samantha's shock.

"Mummy, we have to go," she shakes her mom's shoulder, "the police mum, they are here." A knock comes from the door.

"I'm so sorry, Samantha. I killed your father," she sobs. Samantha hears the police shouting for someone to open the door. In a split second, she knows what to do.

"Momma, give me the knife," she says, "it'll be worse for you than for me."

Her mom puts her forehead to her dad's, "No, Sammy, I'm not condemning you to this." The police slam into the door once.

"Mum please give it to me. Colik needs you," Samantha begs. Her mom shakes her head. The police slam into the door again. Samantha reaches for her mom's hand and tries to yank it from her.

"Samantha, stop it!" her mom tries to yank her hand away.

"No! We need you! You can't go to jail!" Samantha continues trying to grab it. The door slams open and footsteps pour into the house.

"Samantha I said no!" her mother turns to face her, yanking the knife up above Samantha's head.

"Police!" a man yells from the door. Samantha whips her head to him and sees his face as reads the situation wrong. She turns to her mom and their eyes meet one last time. Time slows and all she sees is the panic running through her mothers eyes as they both realize at the same time how wrong this looks. Samantha lurches towards her mother but she is too late. A shot rings out.

"MUMMY!" Samantha screams as time resumes, throwing herself over her moms body. The police try to pull her away, but she fights against them. "YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED MY MUM!"

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This was a very sad chapter to write

Putting myself in the head of a 9 year old going through truly horrid traumatizing events isn't easy

My heart goes out to all people who actively are suffering similar events

I hope you are all okay out there 

Much love <3 

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