"Melanie!" Verena cried and rushed to her daughter who tumbled and plummeted from the twelve feet height to crash onto a wooden table, splitting it into two parts like a human-sized axehead.

It had happened so quickly. The staircase had elevated in a gentle slope by the wall like a series of fanciful cuboid protrusion with polished white wooden rails, curving into and out with the white wall until it leveled off at the first floor above. On the ground floor, where they had been, was a fancy wooden table beside the staircase, where its position was for both utility and aesthetic purposes, filling the expanse of the living room; but then the man in the burglary mask had used this table as a sort of springboard or trampoline to launch himself, with impressive athletic ability, to catch up with Melanie at the leveled off top of the staircase, enough to reach out and grab a handful of her long braided hair.

He had not intended to throw her over. He had only yanked her by her hair and Melanie had lost her balance, staggering backwards, before the railings caught her legs and she fell over.

"Shoot!" The guy exclaimed and looked just mildly sorry. "My bad!"

"Jeez!" Another guy, the leader, who was big and wore no mask revealing an abstract tattoo that covered almost half of his late twenties face, yelled. "What the fuck bro?"

At hearing the crash, another man who carried a heavy revolver in one hand, ran into the scene through the dining room door, carrying in his other hand a heavy bottle of wine which he appeared to have gulped halfway. He too was still in black suit but was distinguished by the Joker makeup he wore: the chalky white face, deep dark eyes, the big red grin and all, were collectively disturbing and so lunatic. "What the hell..." He was about ask but was interrupted when Dr. Blake went feral without warning on his tattooed comrade. The doctor, Melanie's father, who stood over six feet tall and big, grabbed the tattooed guy's neck and began to squeeze life out of him.

The small guy climbed down from the railings in a rush to help his gang leader, but was countered by Michael who tackled him to the floor swiftly. There was struggle and it was all rowdy and fast for a moment but then everything ceased when the lunatic Joker shot a bullet into the roof with his revolver. Michael and Dr. Blake's hands flew up in surrender and they froze.

The tattooed guy, took advantage of the quick turn of event and punched Dr. Blake in his throat. He staggered to the ground, holding his neck and coughing when the tattooed guy took the Lunatic's bottle and smashed it on the doctor's head, knocking him out cold. The forceful strike with the heavy bottle left everyone mute and Dr. Blake on the floor, unconscious, covered in alcohol and with a bleeding head. Blood trickled and spread on the floor.

Waving his pistol, the Joker shouted and urged Michael and Natasha to sit on the floor next to Verena, Melanie's mother, who held dizzy Melanie, cried and pleaded and cursed and prayed all at the same moment.
"You animals!" Verena cried. "What do you want from us? We didn't do anything to you."

The smaller guy forced Michael to his knees and slapped him a number of times in a motion to pass a message across: you're under my mercy. He pulled his pistol and vibrantly placed it on Michael's head.

"Bastards!" Natasha mumbled rebelliously and got the small guy's attention. With a smirk of rebellion, she spat at him. He was startled for a moment, then he swelled in rage and set to smite Natasha but stopped himself. Natasha observed his cowardly nature. Perhaps he was younger or just timid, but he was always in a hurry to exert himself as if putting up an image that he wanted people to see him in.

"Please" Verena pleaded with the men. "please, my baby is bleeding" she stuttered, speaking through sobs. "She needs medical attention. Please I beg you." She had pulled her green scarf from around her neck and tied Melanie's bleeding arm as she spoke. Melanie was still wrapped in her mother's arms as she sobbed. Her mind had cleared and she began to take in her surroundings sharply, but at the same time, her whole body ached, and her arm stung at any slight movement. She held the puncture and tried not to cry too much. She subdued her sobs and continuously swallowed her pain.

The Joker got curious when he noticed Melanie. "Where the hell did that girl come from?" He asked with confusion in his eyes. He seemed a little tipsy or doped.

"Where the hell did YOU come from?" the leader retorted harshly.

"I was just . . . I just needed..."

"A doctor?" The younger guy suggested . "...'cause you are sick, and a doctor is what you need." He tapped his temple. "You need to be checked."

"Too bad." The leader cut in and snickered. "This one's knocked out". He said and kicked Dr. Blake's body softly.

Verena was visibly disturbed and she continued to call for their attention, but they paid her none.

The Lunatic chuckled and sounded like someone who got shipped straight from an asylum in Crazy Town.

"We ain't got what you are looking for." Michael yelled and panted like a hungry wolf, tongue sticking out and all. "It's not here anymore. You are too late, but. . . we can give you some money instead. . . We have some cash lying around in the house. We can give it you and everyone can go home ha..."

"Oh don't insult us." The leader cut him off, irritated . "Don't just fucking do that . . . alright? I've got over thirty grand in my pocket right now." He grabbed his left back pocket. "And there's a lot more where that came from . . . so it's not about your filthy change. We know what goes...." He paused and shook his head. "No! We are the government around here, and we've got all the money we need Okay? Just give us the new drugs your father had been working on." He finished the last sentence with a yell.

Michael yelled back at him. "We don't have it no more." And before he saw it, the leader's palm slammed into his face. The impact induced a thundering dramatic resonance.

The younger guy patted his back. "Take it easy bro, they..."

The leader turned on him and he jumped. "Fuck you!" He yelled. "Don't tell me what to do . . . and who the fuck is your bro? I'm your senior". The leader walked away, then paced impatiently and finally sat at the foot of the staircase. He dropped his pistol on the ground and tapped his feet while simultaneously scratching his chin.

Michael's face twitched in anger and impatience. The lunatic with the painted face laughed again and Michael wanted to punch his teeth down his throat.

"Oh boy..." The lunatic said and giggled. "He walked to the leader and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be so mad dude . . . I know an easy way we can make them give us what we want and have fun doing it."

Everyone's attention was caught by him. "Go on!" The gang leader said, while the younger guy listened without letting his sight off Michael, whose eyes threatened him.

"You know?" The Lunatic went to Natasha and Michael's eyes followed him. He boiled when the Lunatic grabbed Natasha's Jaw and pulled her rebellious face up." This babe is kinda hot. . ." He winked and grinned. "And I have a nice pre-wedding present for the couple." He said and twirled his hips expressively. His hand squeezed Natasha's face roughly, bruising her lips and he just smiled mischievously at the leader who smiled back and looked very thoughtful as he scratched his chin.

"Oh my God!" Verena muttered and began to cry. She bowed her head and began to pray, shaking her head hysterically. Her words were unintelligible.

They wouldn't dare. Was what Michael thought and looked frantically at them. They wouldn't dare. He prepped himself and prayed he was wrong about what he thought they were thinking, because if he was, then perhaps this was the night he dies, because that would happen only over his dead body.

The Leader nodded and gestured as if to say Go ahead.

The Lunatic's already wide grin widened and he snickered. His hand trailed up from Natasha's chin to her hair. She looked confused and her eyes darted from one to another and could not decipher what they were thinking, until she felt sharp pains on her scalp when the Lunatic's fingers dug into her hair, grabbed a handful and pulled.

"Oh my God!" She cried and felt her neck shift. She didn't have time to decide. She just followed him, crawling painfully on her knees as the lunatic pulled her carelessly.

Ruckus rose. Melanie whose cries were subdued initially began to pour tears. It was as if a pressure tap was turned open. The terror that burned around her had soaked in and grown. Michael leaped to his feet in action. There was no time to think. All he knew was that he played college football, he was big and powerfully built like his father, so if he moved quick enough he could take out these guys. But Natasha already knew him well and could guess what he was thinking. "Michael don't." She shouted and groaned, holding the Lunatic's wrist in attempt to soften her pain. "Don't do it." Michael froze.

The small guy who pushed his pistol into Michael's neck looked intently into his eyes. "I think you should listen to your woman." He managed to say, then swallowed.

Michael breathed like a bull but stayed still, but from his blood red eyes, the bulging veins in his forehead, the sweat that poured from his pores and the rise and fall of his chest as if he breathed heavy metal air; anyone could see that he fought within to restrain himself. Natasha's cries continued to ring in Michael's ears and continuously, he told himself to be a little patient. He would get his chance and he would put the Lunatics head at the door frame and repeatedly jam the door on it.

"Please." Verena cried and whimpered, holding Melanie. "Don't do this please. You boys don't do it."

"Shut up!" The younger guy yelled at her. "Shut the fuck up." then he turned to focus on Michael. Michael could see the uneasiness in his eyes. Behind the mask was an out of place young man. He was scared and jittery and worked hard to hide it, but that made him only dangerous, Michael thought, because he could easily flinch and pull that trigger even without wanting to.

The Lunatic continued to pull Natasha and laughed. Natasha fought his hand out of her hair but when she wanted to crawl away, the lunatic grabbed her by her ankle and began to pull her. He smiled and savoured the view, and could easily admit that he enjoyed seeing under her dress and struggling with her, but mostly, he enjoyed her cries of fear and desperation that sliced through the air.

The leader stroked his beards and giggled. "Where the hell are you taking her to?"

"To the guest room . . . I think." The lunatic said, and panted as he heaved Natasha. "There is a fine ass romantic bedroom after..." He pulled and Natasha tried to kick him off, but failed. "...after this door, across the hall, it's got a mini bar and all and I need my privacy." He still rocked his grin.

The leader shook his head with a smile. "Modest dog." He commented and took pride in his paradox.

"Besides, this lady is getting married this weekend." He shouted from the door. "It's got to be romantic." He laughed finally, pulled Melanie one last time through the door then slammed it shut.

When the yelling and crying intensified, Melanie wished she was in a nightmare, to wake up in her dormitory and find Felicia studying as usual. She cried more and more and the tattooed guy yelled at her to shut up. Natasha's cries and yelling indicated that she resisted and fought with the Lunatic. They could hear slaps and kicks and things falling and breaking. Natasha cursed and threatened.

"You have to be willing." The lunatics distant voice came muffled. "You need to be romantic." He yelled jestingly.

"Go to hell!" Natasha retorted.

Michael was frantic. He had never been this angry before, so provoked, so willing to tear someone's head off his neck. His mouth spat threats nonstop and vibrantly and the men yelled back at him to shut up.

Melanie's cries rose louder and as Natasha and the lunatic continued yelling, and Natasha got the beating of her life, she felt herself loosing her mind. She had not yet really accepted that a life such as this existed and happened right around her.

"Don't listen to it, baby." Verena whispered to Melanie in that low soothing voice she used when she tucked her into bed and whispered goodnight. Verena placed her hands on Melanie's ears and sang Hakuna Matata into her ears with a grieved cracked voice. "Sing with me, baby." She demanded kindly.

Melanie was reluctant at first but when she heard a big thud and Natasha's piercing cry of pain, her heart skipped and she began to sing. It was a song her mother sang with her when she was sick or feeling blue. "Go to a happy place baby!" She heard her mother whisper lastly before she sang louder and drowned out everything, including Michael's curses and rants.

To be continued... 👇