They were two strangers standing together in a living room.
One stood by the window dressed completely in black with a ski mask covering his face
The other held a coffee mug and wore striped pajamas.
They both stared at each other in silence, not expecting the other.
The man in pajamas stared at the gun in the Man in Black’s hands.
The man in black stared at the coffee mug in the man in pajamas’ hands.
“You’ve got a big family eh?” man in black said through his mask, looking at the picture frames.
Pajamas nodded hesitantly, unsure what was going on.
He nodded to the gun. “You’ve got a family too?”
“Yeah man. I had no choice. My kids need this.”
Pajamas nodded again, thoughtfully this time.
“Let me help you.” He put down the mug and put up his hands.
Ski Mask stepped back.
“Hey man, don’t try anything funny.”
Pajamas stopped, hands still in the air.
“I have a wallet in that cabinet there.”
For a brief second, Ski Mask’s eyes went to the cabinet.
But something else caught his attention.
“Daddy?”
A little girl peeked out from the corner. Pajamas’ daughter.
“Go back to bed honey I –,” Pajamas instructed firmly.
It was only a few seconds. He was only distracted for a few seconds.
But that in that moment, a gunshot went off, ringing into the night.
Pajamas looked at Ski Mask as blood pooled in his chest.
“I-I’m sorry. My kids…,” Ski Mask stammered.
The gun shook in his hands.
“It’s okay,” Pajamas wheezed, dropping to the floor while his daughter screamed.
“Take the wallet,” he coughed out painfully.
Ski Mask followed his instructions, moving as fast as he could.
The girl had run away – probably to fetch her mother and brothers. All five brothers
As he climbed back out of the window, Ski Mask looked back into the living room.
“It – It’s okay,” Pajamas coughed again, the pool growing.
Ski Mask shut his eyes tight, willing the sight away.
A woman began yelling for Bart somewhere in the house.
There was no more time.
Ski Mask climbed down with the wallet just as Bart’s wife burst into the kitchen.
