My dad and my sister went to the park. I didn't feel like going with them so I stayed here with my mom. She is so beautiful with her silky, straight black hair and blue eyes. I loved being alone with her since we talk about everything and anything we want. She also lets me eat as much candy as I want which I love.

I watched as her graceful fingers flew over the piano. She hit each key with precision as she closed her eyes and went over the beat in her mind. She must have had this song memorized in her head since she plays it all the time. She smiled as the peaceful, calm music went to both our ears. I watched and listened in silence.

I smiled at her with a sincere, kind smile. She stopped and smiled back at me. I sat on the bench next to her. I stared into her warm, blue eyes. She hugged me and held me tight before she let go of me.

Her phone rang and she picked it up. She listened for a few minutes and she quickly hung up. She had fear in her eyes. She got up quickly and got me off the bench too. She took a deep breath and exhaled out, as if she was trying to calm herself.

Her happy, warm expression was now an upset, worried expression. She grabbed a letter out of her pocket and handed me it before she said,"Mommy needs you to do me a favor. You need to take this letter and hide in the closet. Do not look or come back no matter what you hear." "Mommy, you're scaring me!" I whined.

"Hun, listen to me. This may sound scary but, do what mommy tells you. Now, there is going to be some bad men that come in here and no matter what happens, I want you to stay in that closet until they leave. Will you please do this for Mommy?" She asked with tears in her eyes and plead in her voice. Tears started streaming down my face.

She guided me towards the closet and before she shut the door she told me,"Do not make a sound and don't scream and I love you so much honey." I nodded my head in agreement before I said, "I love you too." Why was she saying this? Was my mommy going to die? She hugged me one last time as tight as she could.

I hugged her back as the comforting scent of vanilla surrounded me. She pulled away and shut the door. She locked it and slipped me the key from underneath the door. This way, I could open the door when the bad men were gone. Confusion and fear has eaten my mind and I whole.

I peeked through the keyhole to see what is happening. A big guy with tattoos all over him broke down the door. My mom backed up into the piano in surrender and fear. Three guys who were as big as the guy who broke down the door came in too. They had loaded guns on them.

"What do you want?" My mom asked. "You know what we want!" The guy with tattoos on him demanded angrily. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jack," my mom lied. "I'm talking about the key," Jack said. "I don't know where it is," my mom lied again.

Jack grabbed her throat with both hands violently. My mom's widened eyes had fear in them. "Now, tell me where it is before you die bitch!!" Jack yelled angrily. My mom shook her head in stubborness. "Why won't you tell me!" Jack asked, demanding.

My mom shook her head no even more. Jack looked even more angry than ever. He threw her small, fragile body against the wall with little effort. He grabbed out his gun and pointed it at her before he added, "I guess I don't need you then."

He shot a few bullets at her and she screamed and winced in pain. "I will just find it myself," he said. He put his gun away and left with the three other men.

I had to cover my mouth with my hand to keep from screaming. I started uncontrollably crying and shaking. I could feel my heart crushing as my whole world just fell apart. I felt a deep sadness and emptiness inside me. Fear and panic started to arise in me.

Was she going to die? She can't die! I love her! I don't know if I can live life without her. I got out the key to the door and quickly opened the door.

I opened it and ran to her. "MOMMY!!" I screamed and cried. I fell to my knees at the sight of her all bloody and hurt. "Honey, it will be ok," she replied as tears rolled down her face. She smiled at me one last time before she became expressionless and still. I shook her with hope that she might be alive.

"MOMMY!?" I screamed. "WAKE UP!" She just stayed there, not breathing or moving at all. I quickly got up to my feet and walked over to the phone that was hanging on the wall. I grabbed it and dialed 911. Each ring was torturous as I so needed help now.

"This is 911. How may I help you?" The girl operator asked. "MY MOM IS DEAD!! SHE GOT SHOT!!" I screamed, panicking. "Now can you please calm down?" She asked.

How could I calm down when I just saw my mom get shot and killed!? "Where is this at dear?" She asked. "1234 Parker Street," I answered. "We are sending an ambulence there now," the operator said as she got off the phone. Shortly the ambulence came.

They grabbed my mom and took her into the ambulence and drove off. My dad and sister arrived and he drove my 5 year old little sister, Emma and I there. "Is mommy ok?" Emma asked. "I don't know," my dad answered. He had concern and worry on his face.

I have never seen him this shaken and upset before. I looked over at Emma who is starting to cry. "It will be ok," I lied, trying to reassure her. "No it won't," she said. She was completely right.

Everything wasn't ok, nor will it ever be. If the hospital couldn't revive my mom, that would be the end of me. It would crush and hurt me so bad I don't think I could ever recover or get over it. I think a piece of my heart where she lies would be empty and hollow. I wish my last memory of her wasn't of her dying because I have to see that last memory repeat in my head like a bad nightmare that was on repeat.

We finally got to the hospital and we got out of the car and rushed to be outside the room she was in. We sat outside on the bench as anticipation and the patience of waiting for an answer was killing us. We were so silent that I could hear the ticking of the clock. Tick, tick, tick. It was reminding us that each minute it ticked, was another minute gone by without our mom.

I gulped hard as I tried to put positive thoughts in my head. "She could be alive and they can make her alive. She will be healthy and living in no time. She will be back to playing piano and being the warm, gentle mom she always has been. Or she could be dead and you will never see your mother again," my thoughts told me.

I started crying harder and harder. My dad is crying too and said between sobs, "It will be ok." "Will it dad!?" I asked. "I'm not sure," he answered, crying more. I have never seen him or my sister this worried and sad.

I just wish I could comfort them and tell them that everything is going to be ok. I couldn't do that until the doctor said my mom is going to be ok. Finally after an hour or two of waiting, a doctor came out. My dad, my sister and I stood up immediately to hear what he has to say. The doctor had a serious, sympathetic expression.

"I'm sorry but we couldn't revive her," he said. My dad fell to his knees and cried harder and louder. Emma and I looked at one another, then we went to out knees, trying to comfort my dad. "I will just go and if you need anything, I'm here for you," the doctor said before he left. My dad just sat there and cried and cried.

It was pretty hard for all of us. Emma sat in her room, crying all the time every day. My dad became an alcohalic and I just felt depressed and cried every day too. It was eventually time for the funeral. It was the last time we would see her before we put her in the ground and before her soul was gonna go to heaven.
It was 3 days before the funeral started. The pain of her gone was still upsetting me. My heart was aching and my eyes hurt from crying. I knew she would want me to be happy. But how could I when she just died?
~~~~~~~~The funeral~~~~~~~~~

I wore a black dress that my mom made for me and a black purse she also made. It was a flowing, silky black dress which is really pretty. My mom had a lot of talent with the piano and with sewing. The dress still smelt like her vanilla perfume which made me not ever want to wash it. I cried a little more thinking about her.

I looked over to my sister who was wearing a black dress that our mom made for her. My dad wore a black suit. His eyes were red from crying so much. I bet all our eyes were red from crying all the time. We walked up to the casket to say a few words.

I saw my mom in a pretty red dress. She looked so pretty in that dress. My dad looked at her before he said,"Oh my beautiful Natalie. How could you leave me so soon? How could someone so evil take you away from me?" My dad asked.

He cried harder and fell to his knees again. I looked at him and cried too. He was right. It was someone so evil to take away such a perfect, nice mom. Emma stepped closer and looked at her.
"Oh why mommy!? Why!?" She asked as she cried more and more. I hugged her and tried comforting her but she pulled away. She sat on one of the pews in the front and just cried. I felt so bad for Emma, my dad and for everyone who lost someone so great.

I looked at her and the hot, wet tears went rolling down my cheeks once again. "I could've stopped them. I could've just saved you. I guess you wanted to save me instead. I just wish you were still alive, being with us," I added.

My dad got up and brought me over to Emma. We sat next to her. I looked over at everyone. They had redened eyes and kleenex in their hands. I wish she wouldn't have gone out like this.

It was way too soon. It was not her time at all. She could've stayed if it wasn't for me being a coward. I just stayed in that closet, shocked and afraid. I am going to kill whoever killed her.

The priest started talking and he threw some holy water on the casket. He said a few prayers and asked us to pray with him. He asked my grandma to come up and share a memory about her daughter. She came up and looked like she couldn't do this. After a few minutes she started speaking.

"I remember when Natalie first stared playing piano. She was about 6 years old. She taught herself how to play the beautiful songs she knows. She said to me, "Mommy, I can't wait to play piano until I am like 60 or something."

"I smiled at her and said that she can do whatever she wants. She smiled back and she always had the biggest and warmest smile. Too bad she didn't live to be 60," my grandma said. She started crying hard as she fell to her knees. The priest helped her up and she went back to her seat, still crying.

After everything was said and done, my dad put a single red rose with a note attacthed to it in my mom's casket. I got curious and quickly peeked at the note. It read: You will always be my love for forever Natalie and I wish the best for you. I shut it and cried more. My dad truly does love my mom and I know that this is going to be hard for him.

After everyone was done talking to her, we closed her casket and we drove to her burial sight. We got out of the car and circled around her closed casket. The priest said how he hopes the best for her and that her soul arises to heaven. The casket was a deep red, which is my mom's favorite color. I noticed that there was a bouqet of roses on top and roses are her favorite flower.

They lowered down the casket and it was done. It was over for my family and I. Realization hit me and I just can't believe she was gone for good. I just can't believe how she was standing right in front of me and now she was lying dead, under the ground. My dad, my sister and I got in the car.

It was silent the whole time we were driving home. I didn't mind if it was silent. I need some silence to clear my mind. I watched as my dad took out a bottle of whiskey and started gulping it down. I can't believe he was drinking and driving.

"You're not supposed to drink and drive dad!" I yelled at him. "Just let daddy do what daddy gots to do," he said, slurring his words. Him drinking this much disgusted me. We know he's going through a hard time but he doesn't have to drink his problems away. He doesn't have to drink and drive since he is putting our lives in danger.

After 40 minutes we got home safely. I was relieved to get home because we were alive and didn't get killed. I was dreading seeing memories of my mom everywhere.

We got out and went inside the house. There was still blood on the floor that the police were trying to clean up. Emma gasped in shock and closed her eyes. "What the hell is this?" My dad asked, slurring his words even more. One of the police officers got up and looked at my dad.

"Have you been drinking sir?" He asked. I told him he shouldn't have been drinking. Now he's probably going to jail. "Yep, but just a little tiny bit," he answered, stumbling over his feet. The police grabbed him and asked for another cop to come over.

"Take these kids to somewhere safe. This guy is going to jail for a few days," he said. Emma opened her eyes and said panicky,"Don't take my daddy away! He's all I have left!" "Honey, he has been drinking and needs to be punished," he answered.

"NO!!" Emma screamed. She tried hitting the officer but, I held her back. The officer handcuffed my dad and brought him and put him in the squad car. "Now, you kids are coming with me," a different officer said. Emma started crying and screaming.

We walked out and got inside a police car. We shut the door. The police officer drove us to a hotel, where he would stay with us for a few days. After the few days were up, our dad got released and we got back home. Once I got home, I sat in my mom and dad's room for hours.

I looked at the pictures of my parents smiling together, pictures of their marriage, and pictures of when she had my sister and I. I smiled with tears of sadness in my eyes. Everything was perfect with her around. She was the tape that held this family together. Without her, we are all just falling apart.

I sat on their bed and just cried for hours. I never have cried so much before. After two or three hours, I feel exhausted and empty inside. I feel like I am dying on the inside. I feel like I miss her so much.

I miss the way she smells. I miss the way she looks at me. I miss her caring, nice personality. I miss her hugs. I miss her smiles.

I miss the way she plays piano. I miss the way she cared so much about my dad, my sister and I. I miss her being there for us and always putting us before herself. I just miss her being here, alive and well. I would do anything to see her again.

All of a sudden, that letter she gave me, fell out of my purse. I grabbed it and opened it. Inside there was a letter with a golden key. I opened the letter and noticed that it was my mom's handwriting. My heart started to ache.

It read:

My dear ________, if you are reading this letter, it means I have given you this key to keep. I don't want you to let anyone know about this. I don't want anyone else to have it but you. This is a key that opens up many treasures that everyone wants. Please, I am trusting that you will be responsible with this key.

I am so very sorry that I had to die and leave you so soon. I had to do what was right honey. I hope you understand. Stay strong and be happy that I am going to be up in heaven now, looking down on you. I love and miss you with all my heart. I will see you again.

Love, Mom❤

Ps: tell your dad and your sister that I put a letter underneath their pillows. If they ask you how you know that, tell them you were making their beds and you saw it.

I put the letter back in it's envelope and new tears formed in my eyes. She knew she was going to die. How could she have known? What is so important about this key that someone would kill my mom for it? Why did she trust me with this?

I got frusturated, not knowing the answer to any of these questions. I looked at the key. It was about 3 inches long. It was a pure gold color with dark red rubies at the top. Gosh, maybe this key was worth money.

It didn't matter what this key unlocked or if it was worth money. This key was what my mom risked her life for and I was going to keep it. I heard my dad come up the stairs and I quickly shoved the letter back in my purse. My dad opened the door and looked at me. Gosh, I hope I don't get in trouble.

"What are you doing up here?" He asked. "I was um, looking at mom's picture and then I found a letter underneath your pillow since I started making the bed," I answered. He looked underneath the pillow and there was a letter. He grabbed it and opened it. He started reading it.

A few tears went down his cheeks and he put the letter back inside the envelope and shoved it in his drawer. Emma came in and waved a letter around. "I got a letter from mom!" She exclaimed. She opened it and read it. She smiled a little before she started crying.

"Did you get one?" My dad asked. "Nope," I lied convincingly. "Hmm, ok then," he said. We all walked out and headed downstairs to the kitchen. It was around dinner so we ate microwave burritos.

I only ate half of mine since I am so upset, I lost my appetite. I went to bed early that night. I cried myself to sleep and kept having an awful nightmare of my mom dying. I woke up screaming and crying, only to realize it was just a dream. I knew that with her being gone, my whole life was going to be different.

My sister and my dad's life were going to be different too. I am never going to be satsified or betyer until that evil guy who killed my mom is dead. He deserves to know what real pain feels like. I went back to bed. The death of my mom is going to get harder every day..