blogwithvalor

Caroline walks around the dinner table setting up the silverware. Her parents are coming over. It’ll be my first time meeting them. I peek at her from the kitchen, where I’m pulling a pot roast out of the oven, and she gives me a cute little smile after noticing me staring.

“How’s the food coming along, Jake?” She says.

“Oh you know, I’ve burnt everything. I’m ordering pizza right now. Your dad likes pineapple, right?”

Caroline rolls her eyes before returning to setting the table. “Very funny.”

I let out a laugh and reply, “It’s all done. Just some finishing touches.”

Together we bring out the food. It’s a feast of mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cornbread, and pot roast. There’s way more than she and I would ever make for ourselves, but I’m trying to impress. It’s always smart to make a good first impression with your girlfriend’s parents.

The doorbell rings.

Caroline raises her eyebrows. “Weird, they’re early. I’ll go greet them. You stay back and I’ll bring them to you.”

Her knack for a perfect setup is part of why I’m falling in love with her. We haven’t said the ‘L’ word yet, but it’s only been a month. Meeting her parents might be soon, but they’re in town and apparently won’t be back for a while. So, the stars aligned.

I wait in the kitchen and hear the front door open, but I don’t hear pleasant greetings shared between family members. Caroline starts arguing with someone at the front door. So, I walk around the corner to see what’s going on.

In the doorway is a tall, broad shouldered, trench coat wearing woman holding a gun.

I freeze in full view of her and she looks surprised to see me. Suddenly, Caroline pushes the gun to the side and kicks her in the chest. A shot goes off and she flies back 10 to 15 feet, way farther than I would have thought Caroline capable of. Caroline is holding the gun now, but before I can even try to rationalize how she could have the kicking power of a Clydesdale, she drops it and falls to her knees.

Caroline is holding her stomach when I run up behind her. She’s been shot. Oh shit. I try to help her stand, but she stands up easily on her own. Her faces winces just a bit.

“Are you okay? I’m going to call the police. Get inside and I’m going to lock the doors.” I say frantically to her.

She gives me a stern look. “Call the police and get inside. I’ll take care of her.”

That’s when I see her stomach. There’s blood all over the front of her shirt, but it’s green. The color of her blood is the least of my worries. Trench Coat is back on her feet, and she’s pulled out a giant bowie knife. I’m about to piss my pants when Caroline pushes me back with one hand. I nearly trip over myself as I fly back a few feet into the house. I grab her cell phone in the entry way table and dial 911.

“9-1-1 what’s your emergency?”

“Someone just shot my girlfriend and they’re still here.”

From inside the house, I see Caroline jump the 30 foot distance separating her and Trench Coat. As they hit I see the knife sink into Caroline’s side. Then they tumble onto the grass.

“Alright, sir. Can I get your location?”

“It’s my girlfriend’s place. I don’t know the address, but it’s on the east side of the 101 in Nipomo. We’re pretty far from other people.”

“Okay, sir. Stay calm. I’m getting your location from the cell and police will be there shortly.”

The gun is still lying on the ground just outside the front door. I stare at it and look up at Caroline and Trench Coat. They’ve transitioned from the ground back to their feet. Green is leaking from her side. She needs my help.

“Tell them to hurry their asses up. I’m going to help her.” I say before setting the phone down. I don’t hang up in case they still need it connected to track its location.

I’ve never held a gun before. It’s heavier than I thought it’d be. Stepping out onto the lawn, I aim it directly at Trench Coat.

“Stop or I’ll shoot!” I yell as loudly as I can, trying to end their fighting.

Trench Coat sees me holding the gun and puts her hands up as she faces me.

“You don’t know what you’re doing, kid. You don’t know who it is you’re protecting.”

My hands start shaking, bad. She notices and has an almost disappointed looking smirk.

Caroline has been slowly inching closer to Trench Coat’s back this whole time from behind. She’s a couple feet behind, within arm’s reach. I think she’s about to end this nightmare for us, but Trench Coat spins around faster than I can see. The bowie knife has been shoved into Caroline’s head. Trench Coat’s fist is wrapped around the handle under Caroline’s jaw and from the top of her head the tip has sprouted, like a fresh sapling in spring. Trench Coat pulls out the knife and then shoves it into the side of Caroline’s head. When she pulls out the knife the second time, Caroline falls limply to the ground.

Trench Coat is heavily breathing, stoop shouldered in front of me. “Gotta make sure they stay dead.”

I pull hard on the trigger. The bullet grazes Trench Coat’s right shoulder and she barely moves.

“Dumb kid.” She says as she turns around to look at me.

I drop the gun after I see blood coming out of her shoulder, but hers is blue. She walks up to me and my trembling hands, ripping the gun out of them easily.

I close my eyes waiting for the end, but I stand there for almost a whole minute before opening them again and I’m alone. No Trench Coat, no Caroline. There’s some green blood on the ground where Caroline fell, but it’s almost the same color as the grass. Then, in the distance, I see red and blue lights. What am I supposed to tell the cops now?