Midnight by Anna Dove (books for new readers .TXT) 📕

into adjoining rooms. Silently, swiftly the group split and moved into the other rooms, just inside the doorways on the other sides of the wall.

These people were here to kill them and take their resources. This realization sunk into Haley’s stomach like lead. There was a lull in the gunfire, and she prayed that no family members or friends would wander into the room thinking that the fight was over.

The door smashed from its hinges, and they heard steps crunching over the broken glass and china, slowly moving into the room.

Carlos motioned with his hand for them all to lay down on the ground, on the sides of the door. He then held his hand up, put up three fingers, then two, then one--then opened fire into the foyer, reaching his gun around the corner. Immediately the shots were echoed from both the attackers and the other group, and the room whizzed with bullets. Windows shattered, and the explosions from the guns in such a small space deafened them all. Several holes pierced through the walls above them, and Haley flattened herself to the ground as she reached her handgun around the corner. With each shot the firearm forced her hand upwards and she focused on steadying it. Soon, the gunshots decreased, and everyone realized that their attackers had stopped shooting.

Carlos leaned to look around the doorframe, but Haley pulled him back. What if the attackers were still alive? He shrugged off her grasp and peered into the other room.

Having been ambushed heavily from both sides, the assailants lay still on the floor in puddles of blood.

Elizabeth inhaled suddenly, and Haley, who lay next to her, saw that Elizabeth’s sleeve had been ripped by a bullet and that blood had soaked the area just below her elbow. While the others inspected the bodies in the other room, Haley sat up and pulled her friend towards her.

Elizabeth, pale, held up her arm wordlessly.

Haley ripped the sleeve away from the flesh, and saw that the bullet had penetrated about half an inch below the elbow; luckily it had not bored deep into the muscle but rather had torn the skin. The layers of skin were visible as well as the forearm muscle. In a flash, Haley pulled the pocketknife from Elizabeth’s belt and cut off the sleeve above the elbow. Tearing the fabric into one long strip, she bound it around the wound and applied pressure by gripping the forearm and pressing the heels of her palms onto the bandage. Her ears rang to the point that she could not hear anyone’s voices, and she concentrated on the task at hand. Elizabeth’s pale face was drawn up in deep pain and she looked away as Haley pressed on the wound.

“Upstairs,” said Haley, her voice sounding very far away, and they both stood shakily. Through the doorway and into the front room--four bullet riddled bodies lay, blood pooling below. The water continued to drop off Haley’s clothes, mixing with the blood in little puddles. Haley’s brothers and Carlos and the others had begun to act, bringing sheets to roll up the bodies and buckets of water to scrub the floors. Haley turned away as she sickened at the sight of the faces drained of blood, the unseeing eyes--one woman, three men, emaciated, just skin and bones, their faces twisted in anger and pain--up billowed the sheets above them and down over their faces, and death was veiled from view. The sheets mixed with the blood as many trembling hands rolled up the bodies. No one spoke, and their ears rang and their stomachs lurched as blood stained their fingers, their knees, their forearms, their feet. Bullet shells and guns were strewn about the room, and Haley and Elizabeth moved towards the staircase mechanically.

Tucking Elizabeth into one of the beds upstairs, Haley instructed her to keep pressure on the wound while she found Judith, who had been a nurse. In a few minutes Judith entered, carrying a bucket of water, a cup, and a clean wrap.

“I need to rinse this,” she said, “to clean out the residue. Grab the bedpost. You’ll need something to hold on to.”

Elizabeth stretched her hand out, but then her eyes rolled back in her head and the color drained from her face and she fell back slowly onto the pillows.

“Fainted, much better,” said Judith, and unwrapping the shirt sleeve, poured water from the cup briefly over the wound, from which fresh blood began to seep. Elizabeth remained unconscious on the covers as Judith bound the wound again, pressing until the blood flow had stopped. Elizabeth would wake up soon, Judith knew, and the wound would heal over time.

“God help us all,” murmured the woman, and picking up the bucket of bloody water, closed the door behind her.

18.  What Love Does

 

“Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake- its everything except what it is!”

―

William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet

 

Logan Monteforte sat on the branch of the sycamore tree, his eyes scanning the wooded area. He was on duty for the fourth watch, and sat with his handgun strapped to his side. He was a tall boy, lean and towheaded with bright blue eyes. He liked being on guard; it made him feel important and adventurous. He knew he was a good shot, and felt confident as he perched high above the earth.

June was now more than halfway gone, and already the warmth of the summer was in full swing as July neared. Flowers had sprung up from the rich soil, filling the air with their fragrance. Fresh young grass had spread, and the bugs and beetles had appeared. Tadpoles swarmed in shallow waters, and great bullfrogs sang their deep croaks from the marshes.

The warmth was pleasant to Logan. He stretched his fingers and his neck, rolling his head from side to