It was dark like any other day, but the darkness seemed ominous to me. We were at the island in the eating box only no one was eating.

Everyone was acting strangely. Marilla kept giving Mom evil looks and Dad seemed to not want to talk to Mom. Howard had just plain tuned off, his eyes looked closed in sleep but in truth he was playing a game under the table with the-rectangle-with-the-eaten-apple.

I didn't know what to do to diffuse the tension. I would have said something but the thought that they were still mad at me for yesterday kept haunting me.

After what seemed like an eternity the older man got a message on his eaten apple and looked up.

'Got to be at the office right now,' he said to no one in particular. 'Boss's orders.'

'But it's night,' the older woman said. 'Can't it be tomorrow?'

'Obviously, it's urgent,' he said and pushed out of his sitting place. 'You guys go on with dinner without me.'

Marilla gave an exaggerated sigh and stood up, too. She went towards the steps.

'And where are you going, you?'

'My room, duh.' She didn't stop.

'Come back here right now. Or all the promises will be forfeited,' Dad shouted. 'And don't think I'm bluffing.'

The girl stopped abruptly and I watched her ball her hands into fists before turning back to the island. 'I hate you all! You're just ruining my life!' She suddenly turned her angry gaze to me and I shrunk into the sitting place. What did I do now?

'Marilla!' That was the older woman.

Marilla flared her nose and eventually looked away to take a seat.

I felt my flutter all over the place in fear. How was anything my fault now? Marilla had looked angry enough to murder me, everyone at the island.

The older man threw up his hands. 'I can't believe this! And this is just the first year, what of the ones to come?' he asked rhetorically. 'You guys are just gonna get me fired before I even know it.' He stormed off.

As much as I wanted to know my mistake I couldn't bring myself to ask but I needed to apologize for whatever it was, never mind I didn't know it.

'Um, I'm sorry?'

The older woman looked up and smiled my way but I could see she was worried.

At length Howard looked up. 'You feel they're mad at you? Have you met me?'

'What do you mean?' I asked not understanding.

'You see, it runs in the family, they vent their anger on other people when they're angry.' He grinned widely. 'Except me,' he pointed to himself, 'and you.' Then he pointed to me. As if the 'they' were not sat at the island with us. 'Maybe we're not really part of the family, maybe we were adopted.'

'Howard! Will you stop spewing such chazzerai!' It was the older woman's turn to get properly mad now.

Howard rolled his eyes. 'I'm just sick of all this already, I just wanted this to be over with quickly, even it means . .  .' he shrugged leaving his sentence incomplete.

Suddenly the Big Cover slammed shut, shaking the whole box. I thought the older man was gone to the office by now, why was he still around? And what made him so mad that he'd slam the cover like

We heard shuffling of feet and some grunts, which was strange. The others heard it to and Mom started to stand up.

'Who's there?'

A dark man suddenly appeared, pointing a strange rod at her then waved it at us too.

Mom gasped and scrambled out of her sitting place, Howard ducked under the island and Marilla gave a small scream.

'Shut the fuck up!' the man ordered. 'Everybody hands on your head. That boy you'd better stand up or I'll blow your fucking brains out from under the frigging table!'

Howard came into the open, his hands on his head, visibly shaking.

'I said hands on your head!' He pointed the rod at me, his face contorted in rage.

I noticed the older woman and Marilla had already done so, so I put my hands on my head, confused. Who was this man ordering us about? What did he want from us and what's the purpose of his strange rod? I felt it was some kind of weapon.

Just then two more men appeared on either side of the older man whose eyes were wide in shock and disbelief. One was pointing a shorter rod to his head.

Okay, this one is serious. What did they want from us? Why wasn't anybody fighting back? Well, I wasn't going to sit there and watch, the others were clearly afraid of them, I wasn't. The ugly dark man didn't scare me, neither did the other two.

'Who are you and what do you want?' I inquired.

The dark man turned to me. Dad's eyes went wider. 'Tatiana, no! Do not say any—' The one holding the rod hit his head with it. 'Shatap!'

'Look at this pesky brat. I used to have one as a neighbour and do you know what I did? I killed the motherfucking cunt.'

'You don't scare me. Go away.'

He pointed the rod at me and my eating utensil exploded, food flying everywhere. Marilla and Howard and the older woman screamed. 'The next shot will be your head.' He turned to point the rod at Dad.

Shakingly, I reached for a sharp eating utensil, a knife. Although I didn't know what the rod was but I now knew what it could do and I could tell he wasn't joking.

'I know you brought money from the bank today. Let's have it.'

The older man was shaking. 'I — I don't have any—' A shot hit the floor next to his foot.

'Don't make me fucking shoot you, produce the money,' he turned the gun at me, 'or I shoot your daughter and I swear I will. I thought you had just one daughter.' His gaze went to Marilla and he openly leered at her.

'Please don't hurt her, don't hurt my family,' Dad pleaded.

'Then go bring out the money and we'll spare—' he pointed the gun at Mom '—her—' then at Howard —and him—' then at me with a malicious look '—and the bitch, but I want her.' he smirked and pointed the rod at Marilla who looked away in fear.

Then he turned the rod up and shot the lighting fixture. It exploded and showered us with glass. 'Hurry, man, I ain't got all fucking day,' he grinned. 'Or is it night?'

'Ok—okay. I got it in my room!' Dad shouted. 'Just please don't hurt them.'

The ugly man smirked his eyes on Marilla. 'Aidan, go with him.'

'Yes, boss.' The guy not holding a shooting rod brought one out from his coat and nudged Dad forward with the end. 'Move!' he ordered.

'Now, now,' he said to Marilla. 'C'mere, pretty girl, what's your name?'

Marilla's face contorted in disgust and she looked away, not answering.

'I'm talking to you, bitch! Do you need the gun to do the talking?'

'Gentleman,' the older woman started. 'Please, she's just a girl, I —'

'Shatap! Now c'mere, girl, if you don't want me to shoot your precious Mom.'

Marilla slowly pulled out of her chair, I could see tears running down her face. Howard was sniffling. I dragged down the corner of my lips.

'I don't know about you, Marilla, but I sure hate this guy.'

He pointed his shooter at me but I was prepared and faster. I ducked to the side at the same time throwing the knife at his wrist.

He cried out, dropping the rod to hold his wrist. I grabbed two more knifes from the island and flipped to the other side at the same time throwing a knife at the other man.

I stepped on the long rod and kicked it far away to stand in front of the man. I could see his friend from my peripheral. He was down with both hands clutched over his chest.

'I'm calling the police!' Howard screamed in the background

'You bitch!' the ugly dark man screamed. 'You're going to pay for this, you fucking beast!' His blood was now gushing out like a tap.

'I hit a deep-seated artery, you're going to bleed out unless you're attended to soon.'

The man was now perspiring profusely. 'Aargh!' he screamed. 'You son of a motherfucking bitch, now you're going to regret this!'

The way he said this made me suspicious and I frowned.

I could see the reflection in his eyes. He was in the middle of the windy steps, the rod pointed at me. When his face contorted, I knew he'd shot. Swiftly, I dropped to the ground and rolled behind the dark man, kicking him straight.

The shot hit him in the forehead. His eyes widened in disbelief. 'You moron!' he barked and dropped to the ground.

There were screams.

The other guy was still in shock and in the fraction of that second I threw the last knife at him, hoping with all my heart it'd hit him, if it didn't, I was a breathing target. He was too far away.

The knife hit his shoulder and went over the twist of the steps to drop to the ground. The man grinned evilly showing all his yellow teeth. He raised his shooter again and I started rolling away to the nearest place to hide. I could have rolled under the island for it was very near but it would put the rest in danger's way.

Halfway rolling I heard a cry amidst the screams and a lot of struggling. Dad had tackled the man and they were both rolling down the steps.

I ran towards them to help Dad but Mom was faster. They both tumbled to the ground and Mom hit the man on the head with all her strength with a large flat club.

We ran to the older man who was grunting. He was covered in blood on his upper chest.

'The bastard,' he said. 'He shot me in the shoulder upstairs.'

I could here piercing wails all around.

The older man's breathe hitched. 'No! Po—police.' His gaze turned to the older woman. '   protect—' he fainted.

Hiya!

I think this is the longest chapter I've written in this story. 😄 Let's just say the inspiration was flowing like wine. Also it's dead quiet right now, being at night really helps.

Touch the star, please!