When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

I lifted my head to see a fully armed police officer, someone I vaguely recognized from hanging around Henson.

Nodding blankly, my fingers were pried open, allowing them to pull Geneva from my embrace.

Geneva was desperately looking in one direction, making soft whimpering sounds.

My gaze followed hers, landing on a scene painted in crimson...

The sound of gunfire earlier, and now the sight of police blocking off the area, sent a sharp pang through my heart.

"Galen, Galen!"

Something clicked, and I stumbled forward, only to be stopped by the police.

Galen Brown lay in a pool of blood, his now grayish clothes soaked red and punctured with holes.

Talbot had taken a bullet to the head, lying on the ground with eyes wide open in death.

Galen managed a weak smile at me, then reached out towards me.

Geneva rushed over in a frenzy, "Dad, Dad! You can't die!"

"We just reunited, you can't go, not now!"

"Dad, mom's gone, and now I only have you. You can't leave me!"

She desperately tried to embrace Galen Brown, but was ultimately pulled away.

"Keep calm, we need to administer first aid."

"Please, don't interfere with the rescue efforts, they're trying to save your dad!"

But Geneva struggled fiercely towards Galen Brown, regardless of the police's attempts to calm her.

I walked over and held her tight.

"Geneva, let them help him!"

I yelled with all my might, and finally, she ceased her struggling.

Watching Galen Brown being loaded into the ambulance, she turned and clung to me.

"Mellie, my dad, my dad..." Her tears soaked my shoulder.

Swallowing hard, recalling Galen's condition just moments before, I patted her back.

"Let's follow them to the hospital, hurry."

Galen had been shot in the chest, losing a lot of blood. I had a bad feeling.

If we didn't go now, there might not even be a chance for last words.

Suddenly, memories of my mom's

passing flashed before my eyes, and

I dragged Geneva down the stat

with me.

The police didn't stop us, but instead, helped us into the ambulance.

Galen was spitting blood, his body convulsing.

I closed my eyes, unable to bear the sight.

Geneva's cries echoed in my ears, while one of the medics suddenly spoke up.

"Come closer, if you have anything to say, say it now. The patient is critically injured, hurry!"

Geneva almost knelt beside the bed.

"Dad, Dad!"

Galen couldn't utter a word, but he managed a weak smile and gently touched her hair.

Then, he looked at me, managing to squeeze out a few words.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

"I'm, going down, to see your, parents."

"Take care, of Geneva..."

His eyes locked onto mine, hand reaching out.

I took his hand, nodding firmly.

"Galen, don't worry, I'll take care of Geneva as if she were my own sister."

He smiled, blood trailing from his mouth, then his eyes slowly closed.

"Dad!"

Geneva's heart-wrenching cry filled

the air ade

the medics resumed

efforts, but I knew it

belongs to enl

I gently let go of his hand, which then fell back to his side.

Geneva kept calling out to her dad, but there was no response.

I held her shoulders tightly, my own tears and sniffles breaking through.

I dared not cry out loud, instead, I

silently supported Geneva, knowingt

at least one of us had to remai strong.

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From now on, it was just the two of us against the world.

We had both become orphans, with no one else left in the world.