Aleysa and I are in the kitchen making dinner for Mom's Birthday.

Nate is in the living room watching a football shame on the widescreen tv. He told Aleysa and I that since we are girls that we should do what we're good at and he'll watch the game.

I slapped him upside the head as I wasn't happy with how he thinks.

He's probably been hanging out with people that think like that.

Dad hasn't treated Mom any differently and he even helps her on the kitchen when she needs help.

When I was growing up my parent would spend time in the kitchen making gourmet food and it took a lot of time to make it. The best part about eating the food was the conversations that we had around the table. They asked questions about school and I would tell them what I was up to on that day. Mom and Dad also talked about their day as well. They have the most boring jobs in the world. My parents both work in an office and they sell stuff. I never asked them too much about their work as I wasn't that interested in it.

Mom and Dad walk through the door as dinner is placed on the table.

I look at Aleysa. "Can you go and get Mom."

"Okay," Aleysa walks into the kitchen with mom and she has her eyes closed. "Mom, open your eyes."

Mom opens her eyes and she looks at the table where I put the leg of lamb and vegetables. "This looks great." She walks over to me and hugs me. "Thank you, Chloe."

"You're welcome. Sometimes you need to be looked after too, Mom. Thanks for everything you've done for me over the years."

"I'm your mother. It's part of being a Mom doing stuff for you're kids and you made things easier on me. You helped with you're brother and sister while you were growing up." Mom takes a seat at the table and I serve the food out to everyone.

We sit at the table and start talking about what we did today.

After dinner, I walk into the kitchen with Aleysa. She puts the candles onto the cake and I light them. I carry the cake to the dining room and place the cake in front of her. My family and I begin to sing Happy Birthday to Mom. "Happy Birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Mom, Happy birthday to you."

She blows the candles out. "Thank you, kids, for making this a great birthday for me. I'm glad you came home, Chloe."

Aleysa walks over to the bags we left by the door and she carries them to the table. "Mom, Chloe and I got you some stuff when we were at the shops earlier."

Mom opens the first present and inside is a bracket and necklace set with the word Mom on it.

Later that night I am woken by something smashing downstairs. I climb out of bed and make my way to the door. I open and see Dad standing outside his bedroom door.

He turns towards me and places his index finger to his lips. He whispers. "Get the kids somewhere safe and don't come out until I come and get you." He walks down the stairs.

"Okay,"

Mom steps out of the bedroom and she has the phone up to her ear. She says something to them before handing me the phone. "It's the 911 operator. Talk to them while I check on your father." She heads towards the stairs.

Operator: Hello, this is Janice.

Me: I'm Chloe Knight.

Operator: What seems to be the problem?

Me: Someone, broke into the house. There are things breaking downstairs. Mom and Dad have gone down to check it out.

Operator: I'll send someone to your place. Can you stay on the line with me until someone arrives?

Me: Yes,

My hands and legs begin to tremble as I move towards my brother's room, my heart starts to race and shivers begin to run down my back. Opening the door to Nate's room I see him covered in his blankets. A low snore comes from his direction and I know he's fast asleep.

I hope I don't scare him.

I shake him.

Nate's eyes open he's about to scream when I clamp my hands over his mouth to stop him from making a sound. He looks at me and starts to settle down.

Operator: Are you still there?

Me: Yes, I am. I have to wake up my siblings and take them somewhere safe.

When he's calm. I remove my hands and whisper. "Someone broke into the house. We need to get to Aleysa's room and hide in the closet until Mom and Dad get us."

He looks around. "Where are they?"

"They went downstairs." I hand him the phone. "That's the 911 operator. You can talk to her while I get Aleysa."

Nate climbs out of bed and puts the phone up to his ear. He talks with the operator and he tells her that I need to get our sister.

I open the door to Aleysa's room and find her fast asleep. Her back is turned towards the door. I lift her up and carry her to the closet.

Nate is still on the phone when I close the door behind us.

Aleysa opens her eyes and she looks at me. "Why are we hiding in the closet?"

"Someone broke into the house."

She looks around. "Where's Mom and Dad?"

"They're downstairs." I look at Nate and Aleysa. "I'm going to see if Mom and Dad are alright. I'll knock three times on the door, so you know it me."

Aleysa grabs my hand. "Don't go." She whispers. Tears fall down her face.

I wipe away her tears and then kiss her forehead. "I'll be back, Leys. Listen to your brother."

Exiting Aleysa's room I make my way down the hall. I stop at Nate's room and grab the baseball bat he keeps behind his bedroom door. As I descend the stairs one of the steps squeak under my feet.

I hope no one heard that.

At the bottom of the stairs, I feel around the wall until I find the light switch and flip it on. My eyes sting a little from the sudden intrusion of the light and it takes a minute for my eyes to adjust. There's glass all over the floor and the couch is overturned. Family photos are on the ground, the TV is flipped over and the CD player is smashed. I grip the baseball bat and move toward the kitchen.

As I enter the kitchen I slip on something and land hard on my butt. I pull myself ups and look for the light switch. I turn it on. There's something red on the ground and I know what it is.

Blood.

Stepping around the counter I see so much on the floor and next to the blood are my parents.

Mom's pink dressing gown is covered in so much blood, that I can see where the wound is. I turn towards Dad and see him covered in blood as well.

I scream.