Every day at school felt the same for Dennis until this Friday. A streak of good luck had made it feel different, lighter, almost magical. He couldn't wait for the final bell. All he wanted was to rush home and tell his mom everything.
Back at the house, Mina had drifted into a peaceful siesta. The soft hum of the afternoon and the warmth of her bed offered comfort until the doorbell rang.
Ding-dong.
She stirred slightly. "Who is it?" she called, still groggy.
No answer.
The bell rang again. This time, she sat up. Pulling a shirt over her shoulders, she stepped out of her room and walked cautiously down the stairs. Something didn't feel right.
For a moment, she considered ignoring the door altogether. But against her better judgment, she placed a hand on the knob, sighed, and opened it.
Her heart dropped.
Two large men stood there, cold eyes fixed on her. Faces she knew too well because they were the same men who had killed her husband.
She tried to slam the door shut, but they were faster. The door crashed open with such force that Mina was thrown backward, hitting the ground hard.
The man on the left took a step forward. "Are you Mina?"
She didn't answer. Her body acted before her mind could catch up she scrambled to her feet and bolted upstairs, adrenaline surging. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she locked herself in her bedroom.
The man on the right moved to follow, but the other stopped him. "Wait. She's alone. Let's see what she does next. We've got the advantage."
Mina's heart thundered in her chest. She grabbed her phone from the bedside table and tried to call the police but her fingers shook so violently that she could barely dial. The moment she saw the time, her stomach twisted. Dennis would be home any minute.
She quickly scrolled through her contacts and dialed the school bus driver.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Panic surged as she tried one more time, but her grip slipped and the phone fell to the floor. Then bang!. A loud crash against the door.
"Mina," one of the men said, voice twisted with mock kindness. "We just want to talk. Open up."
"Go away!" she cried. "I have nothing to say to you!"
"Well," said the voice on the other side. "Since you won't cooperate… we'll help ourselves."
They kicked at the door again and again until it shattered, the frame cracking apart and splinters flying. Mina backed away, stumbling onto the bed, her back pressed against the headboard. She felt like prey cornered by wolves.
The man on the left stepped forward. "Name's Nick," he said, a smile spreading across his face that made her blood run cold. "We're gonna have a little fun."
Mina's pleas were desperate. "Please don't. Just leave me alone."
But her words were ignored. Nick's expression hardened, and with a cruel swing, he struck her across the face. The room tilted in her vision.
What followed was a horror no person should ever endure.
When it was over, Mina's body was trembling, broken, her legs streaked with blood. And then came the second man James. Silent until now. "My turn," he said coldly.
But before he could take a step, the sound of a bus engine broke the moment.
Outside, the school bus had just dropped Dennis off.
He stepped off the bus, bag in hand, full of excitement from his lucky day until he noticed the front door ajar.
"Mom?" he called out softly.
Inside, everything looked eerily normal. But a faint, muffled scream caught his attention.
He crept inside.
Each step up the staircase felt heavier than the last. He followed the sound to his mother's room. The door was shattered. And then he saw.
What he witnessed in that moment would stay with him forever.
His mother her body limp, her clothes torn, the shadow of a stranger looming over her. Nick had not yet noticed him, but Mina had. Their eyes met.
Tears welled in hers as she whispered, "Run."
The word struck Dennis like lightning. He froze, mind spiraling in disbelief.
Nick turned.
Mina screamed, louder this time. "Dennis run!"
The sound of her voice snapped him back to reality.
He bolted.
James shouted, "Go after the kid!"
Dennis's feet barely touched the stairs as he flew down them, heart racing, his mother's voice still echoing in his ears.
Run, Dennis. Run