My Turn

Cassandra’s Pov (8 years ago)

•~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•

The shot rang in my ear for a solid minute, but it felt like a year.

I could feel my insides turn against me as it felt like someone sucker punched me. I could feel ever agonizing second the clock in my head hit, counting every millisecond before her body fell. Before someone greater than life was taken, by a single shred of metal not bigger than my thumb.

The irritating cuts from hiding in the bush don’t even register with me as I stare at the scene in front of me. The female lightly bouncing once as her body finally hit the ground. The wet pavement not softening the fall for someone who’s already on her last couple of breaths. The rain was poring down on us not stopping at this tragedy but, instead rushing down in a large cry for the crime against humanity happening.

The red curls of her hair so similar to mine, in a mess around her on the earth’s surface like the rest of her.

The creme colored skin of hers looking more like a light grey, signs that the blood in her skin was going cold. Her head and neck were at a wrong angle that would scare even an adult.

I could see her chest struggling to barely rise up and down.

She stared into the distance, into the bush I’m hiding in, into me.

About twenty feet away with his arms still raised was the man that just shot an angel. The deadly object in his hand held more bullets that could kill if he chose too.

The rain and fog would only let me see her because she was closer, but with this man all you could see was the silhouette of him. With each step he took he got closer and closer to her almost lifeless body, if he just took a few more steps I could almost see the face of this killer.

First it was the nose that stuck out, then the scar that ran on top of it. It went from his lift eye cress across his nose bridge and to his right nostril, it was scary looking. then his chin and cheek bones popped out. And to top it his blond hair and hazel eyes. The last two features making him less scary looking.

He looked like a nice parent from next door with a nasty scar from his youth, not a man who caused a female to bleed out in front of him.

At this moment when he was ten feet away from her everything slowed down and I was stuck.

Years this woman has taught me to be ruthless, to kill with my bare hands, to love, and not go down without a fight, but here I am frozen in place.

Why can’t I move?...

I beg my body to give me an ounce of courage and go out there to protect her. Begging to do anything other than watch her slow painful death in front of me. And the only thing that happened was the word “weak” yelling in my mind. It wasn’t wrong, I was. At this moment this was a prime example of my weakness taking over, my fear over riding me from saving her.

It was one more step of his before he ran that last couple to her body muttering the words “no no no”.

“This is a joke! No! No, no, no, no. I didn’t..” He cut of sobbing to himself quickly. He lowered himself to the ground and pulled her closer to him. He pressed down on her wound as if that will fix the fatal shot he gave her.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t think it was you... I, we can fix this” he said pressing harder with his hands. He stated his last couple of words has if needing to convince himself.

“What are you doing here? 15 years and... God I’m so sorry.”

At this point I was in tears. How could someone who just shot her now be apologizing as if it will change anything.

She turned her head to him. “H he heey you...” You could hear the struggle in her voice.

“Ttt.. o.. To be hon.. honest I didn’t think you would... t ta take me out in the end” she said with slight hummer in her voice.

This... What was happening? I was so confused. Here she is dying and yet she's talking to her killer like their besties.

“I’m sorr...”

“Listen to me David”

David?

“Ss... she’s a force to be rrr re reckoned w.. with. Take ev... everything ssshe does with aaa grain of sssalt. Sh... She’s reckless, fff fearless...”

“What... Who are you talking about..” The confusion in his voice was obvious. But she continued.

“aannd the sweetest girl when she not your target. Hmm, but understand, take care of her, she’s the best thing to happen to me...”

“are you talking about..”

“I love you Cass”

I was in silent tears.. The lightheadedness was starting to take over from this situation, but I wouldn’t let it. Not now.

She looked back into the bushes where I was and mouthed I love you one more time before her eyes turned lifeless. The man was in tears still trying to bring her back but I new it wasn’t going to work.

The loss and pain was slowly turning to numbness.

I just watched my mother die in front of me.

The man's walkie-talkie made a beep noise before a guys voice came through.

“David we heard gun shots is everything okay... is it the Russians? Are they striking again.” The man seemed a little distressed but not as much as the guy in front of me was.

The man talked again a little more urgent when he didn’t get a response. “With the cameras not working over there right now I need you to tell me what’s happening”

The blond man sniffed a little trying to regain his composure before answering.

“N.. no” he breathed “I thought I saw someone and shot but I guess it was just an animal... The fucking fog out here tonight” he said while looking up to the sky.

“Jesus dude, you fucking shot at an animal.” The man through the walkie-talkie started laughing hysterically.

The man clearly new nothing, but it still enraged me that he was laughing while my mother laid cold on the fucking concrete.

“Yeah....” David If I remember the name correctly said.

“Did you at least get it?” The voice came out a little more statically.

The man looked down at my mother while he answered “No, I didn’t get it”

At this point I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to get away from this place. I made no sound while I walked away from my mother for the very last time.

•~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•

If you asked me how I got to this apartment building I couldn’t tell you. At this point everything all mushed together in my brain, the pain and memories to much for me to think straight.

Here I was outside my aunt Grace’s apartment.

Although she’s not related by blood she was always my moms sister.

All I really know about how they met was that on one mission they both got assigned the same target... Long story shot my mom ended up shooting her. Don’t ask me how because I don’t get it either... but, some how they became sisters that night.

I walked up to the elevator without anyone’s questions, the receptionist that was normally there was gone. They only leave after midnight so it had to be somewhere around that time.

Walking into the elevator, I pressed for the 12th floor and waited while the humming of music flowed through the speakers.

Lets just say it took too long to get to the floor, I was two seconds away from ripping out the speakers when the doors finally opened. I took a right on the long stretch hallway and passed 3 doors before reaching hers.

I took a couple breaths before reaching out and knocking on the black door. There was no answer so I turned into a mad woman, started knocking so loud that I was probably waking the neighbors up.

I heard a bunch of curse words and complaints from the other side of the door getting louder as she got closer. The click of the lock was heard before the door went swinging open.

Her voice reaching octaves close to a screech.

"What do you fucking wan..” She didn’t finish when she saw it was me.

We stared at each other without saying anything for a second.

I tried to hold it back, but everything that happened tonight came flooding back to me. The weight of it all crashing down on me. I bersted into tears and broke down in front of her. She came out and hugged me and whispered sweet nothings into my ear but it wouldn’t calm me down.

She somehow directed me inside without me knowing, we where now sitting on the couch when she asked me the question that official broke me.

“What happened? Did you get in a fight with your mom again?” A hole new wave of tears hitting me.

I wanted to tell her I wish it was a fight, but it wasn’t. This was so much worse. I tried to talk but not a single word came out.

That night Something changed in me.

That night my mom’s “sweet girl” died along with her. She was replaced with rage and numbness that combined together made a deadly combo.

A combo that ended up leading a trail of dead bodies behind me on my way for revenge.