Chapter Fifteen: BASEMENT

                                    

                                          
The blood gushing from John's neck trickles into the grout of the tiles and makes its way towards Peter. I don't think anybody has processed what's happened because we're back in that dead silence. Even Ruby has stopped crying. I just stare at the gaping hole ripped through John's throat, then I look toward the broken window. It's a smallish hole in the centre of the pane with large cracks extending outward. But it's precise and the hole in John's neck is jagged. I don't know much about guns but I assume that a sniper is responsible for it. And whoever is holding it is lurking outside. And I have a feeling they're pissed off that we murdered Peter.
It's not until the second shot is fired that everyone comes to. There's another zip sound, right by my head, and it lands on the glass side table causing it to explode. In a frenzy, we all stand up and scurry out of the main foyer, screaming. We run toward the back door, hoping to either go outside or hide in a different room. We don't make it too far before there's another zip sound and one of the sliding glass panels shatters. I watch it go right past my father's head and he falls to the ground in shock. Ivy runs for him and grabs his arm, pulling him up, not before another bullet plants itself in the wall behind her. We duck, zigzag, and run, trying to figure out where to go. There are windows everywhere, which means that no room in the house is safe from the people outside with snipers. 
"The basement!", Mom shouts. I didn't even know this house had a basement. We have wound up back in the foyer and only now do I realise that Ruby never left John's side. Neither did Emerald. Ruby is still sobbing and Emerald has joined her. Although they're both grieving the same person, they couldn't be further apart. They don't look at or comfort each other. They're not even on the same side of his body. Mom rushes over to Ruby trying to pull her away but she won't move. Mom is pulling but she just keeps wailing. Otis opens the door to the basement, which is hidden behind the panelling of the staircase, and begins moving us all down there. As we're descending I can still hear my mother pleading with Ruby to come with her. 
"This can't happen again!", Ruby wails. "I can't do this again!"
Their voices fade slightly as we walk down the basement steps. I see now why we didn't know this was here. It's not the type of basement you hang out in. It's more like a panic room. It's like a large prison cell with cement walls and harsh white overhead lighting. Most importantly, however, there are no windows. We all make it downstairs except for my mother, Ruby, Emerald and Otis. I can hear him screaming at them to hurry and eventually, I hear commotion and then the door slams. From the top of the stairs, I can hear Ruby shouting.
"We can't leave him!", she wails, banging on the door. Emerald makes her way downstairs with my mother. She's sobbing and Mom tries desperately to comfort her. Surprisingly, Emerald allows it and she accepts Mom's embrace. Ruby doesn't give up that easily though, as I still hear her begging Otis to open the door. It crushes my heart to hear Otis tell her that John is gone. I never liked John, but you don't wish that on anybody. This is now Ruby's second husband who has been murdered and experiencing this means reliving Reggie. And judging by her reaction to the Polaroid, that is not something she wants to do. Even Emerald makes me well up. She's twelve and just watched her father die, and while yes, I do not like her, I feel terrible. Even Ivy, Emerald's number-one hater, has a few tears running down her cheek. And I'm sure watching Emerald brings up painful feelings for Bonnie, as she's going through the same thing Bonnie did when Reggie died. I'm right, as she holds her hands up to her mouth and stands in shock. 
Eventually, Otis walks down the stairs into the room with Ruby under his arm. She continues wailing as she collapses in the middle of the room. Nobody knows what to do and nobody knows how to comfort her. I watch as my mother tries to go to her but Emerald makes it too hard, so she decides to stay with her. My father is about to go to her but Bonnies beats him to it. She walks over to her slowly and rests her hand on Ruby's back. Then, she kneels.