Chapter 8- Happy Death Day.
ETHAN >< ><
I was stuck there, feet glued to the damn carpet like someone had poured concrete over them.
I couldn't move an inch. I didn't dare to move an inch because the life of my mother is at their hand and they can just take it by snapping their finger.
My eyes were locked on Dad, watching him fight for every breath, his chest rising and falling in these tiny, desperate rasp breath.
Blood soaked through his shirt, and tears just kept pouring down my face.
I didn't even try to wipe them away—why bother?
They wouldn't stop.
It was like my whole life was crumbling right in front of me, piece by bloody piece, and all I could do was stand there, helpless as a kid watching his sandcastle get kicked over by the tide.
One wrong move, and they'd put a bullet in Mom too.
I knew it.
"Dad… please, just hold on," I choked out, my voice cracking like it belonged to someone else.
The words scraped my throat.
"Hold on till they're gone, okay?
I know you're weak—God, you're so weak right now—but do it for me.
For Mom.
Please.
I can't… I can't do this without you.
You're my rock, dad.
Just… hold on!"
Tears blurred everything, but I could still see Mom across the room, held back by one of those masked bastards, her face a mess of snot and blood from that kick.
She was sobbing so hard her shoulders shook, reaching out toward Dad like her arms could bridge the gap.
"Baby… baby, it's okay!
You hear me?
It's gonna be okay.
Just breathe, honey.
Breathe for us.
You can do it—you've always been the strong one.
Please… I can't live my life without you.
Don't you dare leave us like this!"
But Dad wasn't gasping anymore.
His breaths were getting shallower, slower, like the fight was draining right out of him.
He was still alive, barely, but his eyes were half-closed, body limp on the floor amid all that red.
Blood everywhere—on the rug, the couch, splattered on the walls from the spray.
Our home, turned into a slaughterhouse.
Then, somehow, he lifted his head.
Just a little.
Like he'd scraped together the last dregs of strength from somewhere deep inside.
His eyes found mine.
"Ethan…"
His voice was a whisper and weak.
My face lit up for a split second—hope, stupid, flickering hope.
"Dad, no—don't waste your energy talking.
Save it.
We're getting you to the hospital.
Just… just hang in there, alright?
I've got this.
I swear."
But he swallowed hard, grimacing, a grunt escaping him like it hurt to even try.
He pushed through anyway, voice raspy and broken.
"No matter what… no matter what, son… do not… grant their wish…"
I blinked, tears streaming faster.
What the hell was he talking about?
Their wish?
I didn't care what they wanted—I'd hand over the keys to the kingdom, my company, my soul, anything to get Mom and him out of this.
"Dad, what—?
I don't even know what they're after, but I'll give it to them.
Whatever it takes.
Just don't—"
He tried again, mouth working, but the words got cut short.
A gunshot exploded, deafening, right at his forehead.
The sound cracked the world in half.
"Noooooooo!"
It ripped out of me, like my chest was being torn open.
"Noooooooo! Dad—nooo!"
I screamed until my throat burned, over and over, the word looping in my head.
It felt like I was dying right there with him.
A piece of me shattered, gone forever.
His skull… God, it was split open, brain matter spilling out in a way that made my stomach lurch.
I couldn't see his face clearly anymore, just blood, so much blood, pooling under him like a dark halo.
I sank to the floor, knees buckling even though the masked guys were still gripping my arms like vices.
"You can't die, Dad!
You can't do this to me!"
I wailed, gasping for air that wouldn't come, my breaths hitching like I was drowning on dry land.
"You promised—you promised you'd be strong for me.
For us.
You can't just… go like this.
Not after everything.
Not on my goddamn birthday!"
My voice tore out of my throat until it hurt to breathe. My ears were ringing, my head spinning, but the two men gripping my arms didn't loosen their hold. Their fingers dug into my skin.
"Let me go!" I roared, my voice breaking. I twisted hard to the left, but the one behind me yanked me back so violently my shoulder almost popped. Pain shot down my arm. I didn't care. I kicked backward, my heel slamming into someone's shin. He cursed, grip tightening even more.
"Hold him," one of them snapped.
"I said let me go!" I thrashed again, this time throwing my full weight forward. My leg slipped in the blood on the floor and I almost fell, but they kept me upright by force alone. My wrists burned where their hands crushed them.
Dad lay there. Not moving.
Rage exploded inside my chest.
I jerked my head back and slammed it straight into the face of the man behind me. He grunted in shock, his grip loosening just a little.
I tore one arm free.
He tried to grab me again, but I drove my elbow hard into his ribs. I didn't even know where the strength came from.
"Shit—!" he barked.
The second man reached for me, but I dropped my weight suddenly and twisted under his arm, nearly dislocating my shoulder to slip out of his hold. My sleeve ripped but I didn't stop.
I stumbled forward, almost falling, catching myself with shaking hands on the bloody floor, then crawled the rest of the distance.
I lunged toward Dad, crashing down beside his body.
My hands shook as I reached for the mess, scooping up bits of… God, I don't even know.
Brain.
Bone.
Something that should never see daylight glistening in my shaking hands.
I tried to push it back where it belonged, but It wouldn't stay. Nothing would stay.
"Dad—Dad, listen to me." My voice cracked in half. "I can fix this. I can fix you. Don't look at it, don't—just look at me."
My words stumbled over each other, desperate and useless. "I've got money—more than enough. I'll fly in every specialist, every surgeon, every miracle worker they can find. I'll empty the world for you. Do you hear me? I swear it."
"Just hold on. Just breathe one more minute. One more. That's all I need."
My hands pressed harder, trembling, trying to keep him together by will alone.
"You're not dying like this.."
The plea broke into a sob.
"Please… just a little.
Let them go, and I swear on my life I'll make you whole again.
Don't leave us.
Please."
It was useless.
He was gone.
I turned my head slowly, and looked at Mom.
She was still on her knees, tears pouring down mixing with the blood from her nose.
Her eyes were wrecked and empty.
"Mom… please, tell me he's gonna wake up," I begged with a shaky voice.
"Tell me he's coming back.
Promise me, Mom.
He has to.
He has to be alive.
Please…"
She didn't say a word.
She just kept crying.
I couldn't take it.
I scrambled over, wrapping my arms around her tight, pulling her into me like I could shield her from all of it.
We clung to each other.
Who was supposed to comfort who?
That's when a voice filled with mockery cut through.
"Alright, alright.
Wrap it up, mother and son.
Save those tears for when you get to heaven because none of you are walking out of here alive.
You're all dying tonight, right alongside your beloved bastard of a father.
Hey, at least you'll meet up again in whatever fairy-tale bullshit you believe in.
Consider it a family reunion."
I jerked my head up, fury boiling hot in my veins.
I tried to stand, but one of them shoved me back down hard, my ass hitting the floor with a thud.
"Who the hell sent you?!" I screamed, voice hoarse from all the crying, spit flying.
"Why are you doing this?
What did we ever do to you?
Tell me!"
One of the masked men burst into laughter for some seconds before speaking up.
"Who sent us?
Like it matters—you won't be alive long enough to do shit about it.
But fine, I'll bite.
Logan sent us.
The one and only Logan.
Told us to wipe out your whole family, every last one.
And we're just following orders, kid.
Simple as that."
My blood ran ice-cold.
Logan?
Before I could even process it, he swung the gun toward Mom's head, barrel pressing right against her temple again.
She whimpered, eyes squeezing shut.
"Say goodbye to Mommy dearest," he sneered.
"You two can catch up real soon."
"Wait—no—please—"
The words stuck in my throat, choking me.
The gun fired.
Mom's head snapped back, blood spraying from her neck in a horrible arc.
She crumpled straight to the floor, eyes wide and lifeless, body twitching once before going still.
"Noooooooooo!"
I screamed, the sound tearing out of me like I was going insane, lungs burning, world spinning.
"Mommmmmmmm!"
It was louder than anything, my voice cracking as I clawed at the air like I could pull her back.
Tears wouldn't stop.
My whole world, gone in twenty goddamn minutes.
I stared at her, willing her chest to move.
Nothing.
She wasn't breathing.
Not a twitch.
I raised my head as I looked at them with bloody eyes filled with hate and revenge.
"I swear… I'm gonna haunt every single one of you," I growled through the sobs.
"No matter how long it takes.
I'll have my revenge.
I'll make you pay for this—every last one."
The leader just chuckled but I ignored his chuckle as I continued talking.
"Letting you die a merciful death is gonna be…"
He didn't let me finish.
The trigger pulled again.
Fire exploded in my chest, hot and searing, like someone had rammed a poker straight through my heart.
"Best of lucks in having your revenge in the grave."