I fucked up.
She was mine to protect and I failed.
My sister was on the floor. Her body was full of bullet holes but she wasn’t giving up. Not my sister. My sister was badass. She aimed her gun just as the fucker took his shot.
I blinked and all three of us fired at once.
She hit her mark.
The fucker hit her.
My shot went wide.
I missed.
He stumbled back as she lay on the ground, blood pooling all around her. He looked at me and I just stared at him.
Holy fuck! I couldn’t believe who I was staring at.
Had to be a mistake. It was the only plausible explanation. He would never hurt Kitty. He loved her. He watched her grow up. He was my dad’s best friend. He ate dinner with us, even celebrated Christmas with us. He taught me how to ride my bike. He was family. I stepped towards him and the slimy fucker ran out of the house into the raging storm.
Left alone in the house with Kitty on the ground and an unconscious Sandman sitting in a chair, I didn’t know what to do. My whole life, I was told she was mine to protect. To make sure nothing happened to her and for the longest time, I had succeeded. She was safe, loved and cared for.
Falling to my knees, I reached for her lifeless body, holding her to me as tears ran like a raging river down my face. I didn’t know what to do. For the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to do. That’s when I felt it. Her heartbeat. She was still breathing.
Snapping out of it, I reached into my cut and dialed 911.
I didn’t give a flying fuck what anyone said. She was my sister and she was hurt. That’s what normal people did. They called 911.
“You’re gonna be okay, sis. I promise. I’ll make sure you are just fine. Just hang on. Help is coming,” I said, as I heard the line connect.
“911. What is your emergency?”
“My sister’s been shot.”
“Where are you located, sir?”
“In some fucking shack in the middle of fucking nowhere. How the hell do I know. Help me!”
“Sir, I need you to calm down. I am getting emergency services to your location as fast as we can. Can you tell me where your sister was shot?”
Looking at her, I started counting holes. Fuck me, there were so many, so I gave the operator the important ones.
“Everywhere. She’s got two holes in her right leg and one in her left thigh. There is a hole on the side of her stomach and one in the left shoulder, but I’m worried about the one in her head.”
“Her head?”
“Yes. The mother fucker shot her in the head!”
“Sir, does your sister have a pulse?”
“Yes, she’s got a God damned pulse. Why the fuck do you think I’m talking with you! She’s still breathing and I can feel her fucking heartbeat. She needs help!”
“Emergency services are on the way, sir. Is there anyone else hurt?”
“Yeah, her twin. He has been beaten up pretty badly and is still tied to the fucking chair. He isn’t moving.”
“Sir, I need you to check him for a pulse.”