*Warning this book contains scene of violence, foul language,  sexual content, adult situations that may be triggers to some, and is not suitable for all ages.*

Shattered:

Something was wrong. She knew it the instant she pushed the front door open to her home. The door, the way it moved was wrong. She stared at the yellow door as it swung back to her. Her mother had been going on about painting the door for weeks now and just had finally done it. The door swung back open, creaking as it did. Her breath caught in her throat as she pushed herself. She stepped inside the dark house. Her house was always warm and comforting. It was cold and the chill gave her instant goosebumps. She could hear the tv static coming from the living room as she stepped inside.

“Mom?” She called into the darkness, her voice shaking.

She began making her way to the living room, dread in her stomach. Her mom spent most nights passed out on the couch.  She would  fall asleep watching tv after working her shifts at the hospital. Why did this not feel like most nights? Her feet hit the soft beige carpet of the living room and as she did,  she was hit with the strangest smell. She put her hand up to her nose. Iron? But sweet? Maybe metallic.  There was so much of it. She gagged as it overwhelmed her. She put her hand over her nose to stop the smell from invading her nostrils. 

“Mom? Dad?” She called into the living room,something telling her that she didn't want  to go any further.

Her voice bounced off the walls of the silent home, echoing back to her. She took a deep breath and rounded the brown sofa that sat directly in front of the tv. Her feet stepped on to something wet and sticky. Her eyes shot down, staring at the red substance in confusion. Her body began to shake as it recognized what the red substance was before her mind could. A wave of nausea hit her as she looked from the floor to the couch. Sitting side by side with their heads tilted back was both her parents. A gaping hole was in their necks. Blood had  flowed down the front of their chest like a waterfall and onto the floor causing a river of blood that ended where her feet began. Her mother’s eyes staring vacantly ahead at the tv as if she never even knew what happened. Her father turned slightly looking at her mother, his eyes wide open with horror as if he had seen what happened to his wife before it happened to him. She fell to her knees doubling over as her body began to shake. She put her hands over her head as a blood curdling scream erupted from her chest. She couldn't breath. Bring her hands down and leaning forward; She hugged her knees as she tried to process what to do. She looked back up at her parents. Shaking she fell backwards onto her bottom and scooted herself away from them.  She got to her feet her stomach twisting as she almost stumbled forward into the pond of blood. She fumbled in her back pocket, choking down another wave of nausea. She tried to get her hands to work as she dialed 911.

The operator came over the phone;

“911 what's your emergency?”

“Help, my parents…there’s so much blood.” Her voice broke as she spoke, forcing the words out of herself.

“Ma’am can you tell me your name?” 

“Nora. Please, I don't think…they can't still be alive.” She choked out through the falling tears.

“ Nora, is there anyone else in the home with you? I’ve pulled up your address and help is on the way.”

Anyone else in the home? Nora's stomach flipped inward on itself. James. Her phone fell from her hand smashing into the blood pond as she rushed up the stairs.

“James!” She screamed as she raced up the stairs.

"Nora..Nora.." The 911 operated's voice echoed in the soundless living room from the floor.

She rounded the stairs banister as her feet hit the upperlanding. She ran to his room. Tripping and falling in front of his batman poster door. As she fell her fingertips brushed the door and it slowly creaked open. Another wave of sweet metallic hit her and she cringed. Her mind screaming this can't be real. She pulled herself up to her feet  by the door jam and went into the room. Please god. She yelled in her mind as she begged for James to be ok. 

The room was dark except for his batman light, projecting the bat symbol onto the ceiling of his room. She saw his twin size bed and it looked like he was curled up in his batman bedspread sleeping. She paused, praying that he was sleeping. She walked in what felt like slow motion as she approached the bed, she could see his little dark curls peeking out from under the blankets. 

“James.” Nora whispered her hand shaking as she reached for her ten year old brother.

He didn't respond, she slowly pulled on the blanket, and as they came back, blood poured out of the bed. It was a bright red waterfall pouring on to the ground . She raced to him and rolled him over. His throat looked the same as their parents. She scooped her brother into her arms as she crashed to the floor cradling him.

“James.” She cried tapping him.

“Please no! James! No! You're fine, you're ok! Stop.” She cried as she tried shaking him lightly. 

She wrapped her arms around him cradling him close to her chest. Scooping him into her arms she carried him down the stairs, hoping there was still a chance. Reaching the bottom step she caught a glimpse of something. She could hear the sirens outside from the police. She was almost to the door.

Something very large was stepping out from the living room. Deep dark red brown fur approached her from the side. Nora frozed looking over her shoulder; stopping just in front of the yellow front door, which hung wide open. Red glowing eyes, teeth, and dark red brown fur was all she saw before searing pain hit her and she crashed to the ground. She could feel her own blood leaving her as coldness enveloped her.

“Nora?” A voice called to her.

“Hang on.” Another voice said as she felt something touch her face.

“James.” Nora whispered trying hard to come back.

The officers knew from the amount of blood on the floor that there was no way the young boy was still alive. Nora jumped as the office touched her. 

“Please help him.” She cried her hand grabbing a hold of the officer. 

The officer didn't have the heart to tell her that there was no helping the boy. That boy was already lost  He took the boy in his arms and motioned for the other officer to get Nora. The EMTs arrived and took over. Thye quickly got Nora on to a stretcher and carried her out. She was in and out of consciousness.

“Animal attack?” One officer said to another.

“How? An animal forced entry into the home and then killed them  all without them noticing.” The other whispered back.

“The wounds look animalistic.” The first officer whispered back.

Nora’s head began to spin, animal? All? James? Dead? The world began to blur and her vision tunneled. 

She woke up in a hospital bed with monitors strapped to her and IV in her arm. She was confused about the IV but she knew from her mom that if you came into the ER more than likely everyone got an IV. She smiled thinking about her mom making jokes about it. Mom…The word echoed in her head and then everything came rushing back to her. The monitor started to alarm as her heart rate skyrocketed. A nurse came rushing in. Nora’s side of her throat felt stiff. She touched it lightly as she looked at the nurse. She felt the prickles of sutures. The nurse coming to her side and touching her arm got her attention.

“My mom? James? My Dad?” She blurted out in between heavy breaths.  

She could feel her airway starting to constrict as panic set in her. She wanted someone to just tell her this was a dream. That she had fallen, hit her head, and while she was out made up a horrible nightmare. Another nurse came in.

“She’s having a panic attack. We need to give her something to calm her down. She is going to hyperventilate.” The nurse said to the one that just walked in.

With a nod the other nurse disappeared.

“Nora honey, I need you to try to take deep breaths. In through your nose out your mouth. Through your nose push it out your mouth.” The nurse said using her hands while she talked.

“My….fam..ily..” Nora stuttered out between gasps.

The nurse tried to hide her emotions on her face but Nora saw it. That small look of pity the nurse let escape was all Nora needed to see to know this wasn't a dream. Her chest constricted more, she couldn't breath and her throat felt like it was caving in. Her lungs were on fire screaming for air. The second nurse ran back into the room with something in a syringe. They put it to the IV and flushed whatever drug into her bloodstream. Nora breathing slowly began to relax but as it did darkness took over and she was back asleep.