The Guard To My Sanctuary - Chapter 43: Chapter 43

I played with my new septum ring absentmindedly as I waited for my food to be finished cooking in the microwave. I was craving a rich chocolate brownie out of nowhere and decided to try a brownie in a mug life hack thing I saw on some website a while back. The smell of chocolate permeated the air. Corey and Marco could be heard out back playing basketball in the pool and shouting at each other like boys. It was a nice chill day and I felt comfortable and relaxed. I was almost sure of it now that I was being paranoid but I still kept the gun just in case I wasn't false in my feelings before. The dinging sound rang in my left ear that didn't have an earbud playing music wedge inside of my ear canal. I pressed the button that opened the door and grabbed for my mug. I didn't realize how hot it was till I touched the fox themed cup with my bare fingers and had to quickly place it on the counter. I shook my fingers out until they were no longer warm and looked at the small little round brownie in the mug satisfied with the outcome of my culinary experiment. I walked over to the freezer a grabbed the pint of French vanilla ice cream and reached for the scooper I had put on the counter earlier. I scooped me out a healthy amount of the rich ice cream and place it in the mug then put the pint back in the freezer. I grabbed a spoon from the drawer I kept them in and started to slowly eat the hot and cold delicious desert.
"You what's that smell, I want some," I heard Tyler shout from upstairs. I glared in the direction of his voice because I had just got the boys down to sleep not fifteen minutes earlier.
"Shut up," I said projecting my voice loud enough for him to hear upstairs.
"Man," I heard him jumping down the stairs like he normally did. Out of nowhere, I heard a rumble near the front of the house then the sound of cursing. I dropped my spoon and ran to the stairs where Tyler was laying on the ground holding his leg while rocking back and forth.
"Shit, fuck, shit, fucking shit, shit," he cursed while continuing to rock back and forth. I knew he'd hurt himself sooner or later and it looked like it was his time.
"Marco, come here" I yelled. I could hear splashing and the sounds of two big men running with wet feet. They barreled in dripping water on the wood flooring.
"Yo I told your dumbass to stop jumping down them damn stairs before your break something and look at you now," Marco said stopping down to check on his brother with the limited medical training he had from joining the military.
"He needs to go to the hospital," Marco said as the babies started crying.
"No shit Sherlock," Tyler spoke through clenched teeth. Marco got up purposefully bumping into Tyler causing him to groan in pain.
"I'm going to get dressed and grab him some shoes," Marco said.
"I'll get the babies, Corey can you make sure they don't kill each other? I know you got the funeral in the morning but."
"It's fine," he said walking to the living room grabbing his bag then walked to the downstairs bathroom that was almost never used.
I walked upstairs and went to Zias's room first because he was wailing like a banshee. I walked over and grabbed a bottle from the warmer checking to makes sure it was still good. When I saw that it was still pure I went over and fed Zias's who hushed up and started drinking. Food always called him down for some reason, he ate for maybe a minute and was back to sleep. I placed him in the crib then went to Mads room where he had tired himself out already. He was already starting to be able to self-soothe which was great for me and Marco. I wiped the dried tears on his face then walked out of his room closing the door. Lastly, I went to Call's room where he was still crying. I walked over and placed his pacifier in his mouth. He shut up immediately and closed his eyes. I knew the boys like the back if my hand and could get them calm in just a few seconds based off their cries. I walked out the Calloway's room and saw Marco in jeans and a T-shirt.
"I'll be back," I don't think it's broken maybe fractured," Marco said and leaned down to kiss me before walking down the stairs. I put my fingers up to my lips and I could hear them leaving. When the sound of the garage closing stopped I moved again. I carefully walked down the steps and went into the pantry grabbing the mop and began clearing the place of water which took me a lot longer than I would have liked for it to take. When I was finished I got back to my now melted brownie and ice cream which was still good. I walked over to the couch with the cool to the touch mug in my hands and turned the television on decided to watch an old episode of 'Dr. Phil' on OWN. I could watch that for hours and I did end up watching two episodes. The late day turned into night and I only got an update from Marco twice saying that Tyler was getting an X-ray and then one saying that he would need a boot. He asked about the kids and I told him that they were still sleeping which meant that they would be up early in the morning. I was too lazy to wake them, though. I got up off of the couch hungry again and walked into the kitchen to put the mug in the sink to wash later then walked to the refrigerator looking for something to eat. I was bent over looking for a pack of Marco's pistachios when I heard the distinct sound of metal moving across metal. It sounded as if someone was trying to get in without a key. I shot up my heart racing adrenaline pumping into my bloodstream. I reached for my phone to see if someone said they were coming over. I only had a few messages and nobody said they were coming over so I knew something was up. In desperation, I texted Marco a message with the letters SOS and sent it to him.
My heart started to pound as I ran to the pantry and opened the lid to the gun case and pulled the pistol out turning the safety off as I moved. The old gun lessons my Dad taught me weren't lost on me in actuality it was just like riding a bike. I aimed it at a vase and noticed that everything was blurred and I didn't have my contacts in which wasn't good for my aim. I ran towards the stairs past the door that was being tampered with in order to be closer to my children. I didn't make it past the top steps before the lock clicked and the door swung open. I turned on the steps and saw a face I had forgotten about.
Manny stood there with a sick scowl etched onto his face. His once unmarked face had a scar on it right in the middle of his forehead. It looked fully healed and must have been received when Marco bashed his head into the brick wall in the alley. I didn't even think I just started firing the gun since it would be pointless to try and aim without my contacts. Two bullets sailed into the wall missing Manny narrowly. He ducked and pulled out a gun of his own.b The babies started crying behind me but I kept firing until I was out of bullets. Manny had ducked behind a wall and fired two shots that didn't hit me but instead dented the railing and ricocheted away. I quickly walked back closing Zias's door to minimize the sounds somewhat and not damage his ears. I had never been more scared in my life. Not for myself but for the lives of my children who were defenseless in the situation.  I crept back towards the stairs and saw Manny running up them two at a time.
"Bitch who said you could have someone else babies, London is going to kill your ass. He's so pissed you decided to leave then went and got married," he said holding his gun out. I didn't back up I didn't want him shooting near the rooms so I stayed still and shook in place. He got in my face and smiled, he reached his arm out for me and I swung my left arm at him and reached upward. I had to hop up and punch him with my fist and connect the ring to the skin over his eyebrows. Blood started to pour into his eyes he hissed and I kicked him in the balls. I wasn't a fighter so cheap tricks were all I had to defend myself. He groaned over the sound of the babies crying in their rooms. I tried to push him but he caught my hands and threw me off of him. I skidded across the floor and tipped over the edge of the top stair and went tumbling down. I hit my arm on a step and felt a searing pain in my arm. I hit a few steps and cried out in pain until I hit the ground. My body was sore and I knew my arm was broken but my babies were all I cared about.
"Hurts doesn't it," Manny said walking down the stairs with a slight limp. He had fury in his eyes that were intimidating. I grappled to get up with one arm and had tears running down my face. I said a silent prayer hoping that he didn't decide to turn towards the kids.
"So you want to fight huh," Manny said pointing his gun at me. I moved back towards the wall and felt around. I felt a leafy plant and gripped it, Manny got within two feet and I used my good arm to launch it at him. The plant was fake so it weighed very little but the pot it was in was ceramic and shattered against Manny. He was stunned so I used the chance to open the door. I ran over to him and smacked him causing him to stumble a little but most importantly he dropped the gun. I picked it up then took off running out of the door. I could hear Manny growl as he followed me into the night air. It was hot and humid which made me sweat. I kept running not even thinking about stopping while hearing Manny behind me, I was quick after running in the morning for a while but Manny was faster. I heard him behind me and I turned to see him less than ten feet away. My arm was on fire as I moved but I kept going leading him around the corner onto another street. I loved that the neighborhood wasn't busy but now I wished a car would pass and help me out.
I turned quickly and pointed the gun at Manny and fired two shots from his pistol. I heard him yell and turned to see him holding his arm but he was still moving. I moved from the sidewalk to the street and tried to fire but nothing but a clicking sound occurred. Frustrated I hurled the gun at Manny and missed. Not looking where I was going I tripped and fell on my bad arm and screamed.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH," I yelled aloud as a mind-numbing pain emitted from my arm.
"I'm going to kill you, you stupid bitch. Then I'm going to kill your little husband and gut those babies," Manny said then booted me on my side. I felt a pain like no other as he hunched down using his unwounded arm to throw blows to my head that I covered with my food arms. I saw a light cut on but knew none of those people would actually run out since the community was filled with older people. I spit out blood and felt light-headed as Manny got up and kicked me. He was laughing like a maniac as he kicked me again and again.
I struggled to move and breathe but tried to get up knowing that he meant what he said about hurting my family. Blood leaked from my mouth and I knew my face was puffed. I was in pain all over but kept trying to get up despite my body warning me not to. Just giving up and dying wasn't an option.
"I'm so sick of London's obsession with you. You're nothing but a slut with a worn out ass, you've been gone for a year and he still talks about you. That won't last for long though once I spread your brains out on this street."
"So you're still hung up over the man that wouldn't look at you even if you were the last man on earth. It's sad at this point don't you think. You hunted me down probably to have to bring me back to him. You think he's going to love you once I'm gone, ha he doesn't know how to love anyone. I think you're sicker than he is," I spat at Manny who looks more enraged than he had before which I thought was impossible.
"What did you just call me bitch," he said walking up to me his hand balled into a fist. I braced myself for another vicious blow but a bright light emanating from high beams of a car caught my attention. It seems to get brighter and closing rapidly. I couldn't see anything and Manny stopped and turned to look at it momentarily distracted from beating my ass. Just as he turned and started to run the vehicle hit him and sent him flying into the sidewalk. The collision caused a sickening crunching sound to come from Manny's body. The lights cut off and I was blinded still. My eyes tried to get used to the amber streetlight while still stinging a little. I saw that the car was mine and saw the doors open. Out hopped Marco who looked, feral as he ran over to Manny who was groaning on the ground. Marco picked him up off the ground and dropped him on the grass area that separated the sidewalk and the street. Marco got on top of him and started beating him viciously from what I  could see through my blurry vision and squinted eyes. Marco stood up and started stomping him out and I saw Corey jump in to help thoroughly pound Manny's ass. I usually hated jumping but I felt nothing sympathetic towards Manny who was bleeding from multiple areas and screaming and crying like a girl.
I heard a clicking sound and looked over to see Tyler who was walking with crutches.
"Come on, let's get you in the car," Tyler said wincing as he helped me get up. I was in pain and he was in pain as he helped me into the car. The moment I was inside the red and blue lights made a purple hue as the police came through my they got out guns drawn and Marco and Corey backed away.
"CALL JOHN EUTHENIA OF SWAT," Marco shouted and I could see that the polices posture had visibly changed. They must have been a few of the cops my dad had asked to look out for me. Tyler didn't wait for the scene to play out he took off driving to the house.
"Stay in here you are bleeding a lot I'm going to grab the boys," he said getting out of the car. He ditched the crutches and went into the house. I hadn't noticed how much I was bleeding until I struggled to get the visor mirror down. I pushed it near the window and saw I had so many cuts on my face and arms. I sat there as Tyler walked to the car with all three boys in their car seats. He placed them in the back and I noticed I was struggling to breathe. The boys were crying but from what I saw they weren't physically hurt. My heart rate steadied a bit knowing that they were alive and agitated.
"I need for you to stay awake for me," Tyler said pulling off with the sound of screeching following him. He looked in pain but had a fearful look on his face.  It began to get hard to keep my eyes open and I felt like I was floating underwater.
"Elm stay awake," was the last thing I heard before I gave in to the fatigue.