Prologue

Adam peered through the window, his heart sinking as he saw Sarah"s familiar figure sprinting up to the front door next door. A sigh escaped his lips, and he turned to his wife, Nicki, who stood beside him.

"Oh, no," Adam muttered, his voice laced with weariness. "She"s at it again."

Nicki"s eyes widened, mirroring Adam"s concern. "Oh, dear," she replied softly. "Should we call the cops again?"

Adam hesitated for a moment, contemplating the best course of action. Deep down, he knew reaching out to Sarah might be more productive than involving the authorities. He placed a reassuring hand on Nicki"s arm and offered her a small smile.

"It might not be necessary," Adam said gently. "Let me go over there and talk to her."

Nicki nodded, her brow furrowed with worry. "Please, be careful," she urged, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Adam kissed her forehead, feeling a surge of warmth and love for his wife. "I will, I promise," he assured her, his eyes meeting hers. "I won"t let anything happen to myself."

With a determined nod, Adam grabbed his raincoat from the hook by the door and slipped it on. He knew the importance of addressing this situation with empathy and understanding. Sarah had always been a troubled soul, lost amidst the chaos of her mind. He almost felt sorry for her, but he knew it was always the drinking that got her in trouble.If only she would stay away from the bottle….

As he stepped out onto their porch, Adam"s heart raced with apprehension and compassion. He ran across the neatly trimmed lawn, jumping over puddles of water left by the passing thunderstorm.

Reaching their doorstep, Adam noticed that the door was still open and that it seemed like Sarah had kicked it in.

"Oh, no, what have you gotten yourself into this time, Sarah?" he mumbled, primarily worried about the family's daughter, Victoria, who was most likely asleep in there somewhere, unaware of what was happening.

Adam stepped onto the porch, his heart heavy. The storm had ceased, leaving a trail of wet leaves and scattered debris in its wake. The front door was swinging eerily in the wind, revealing a glimpse of darkness within.

A chilling breeze brushed against his face as Adam took a tentative step forward. Suddenly, from within the house, he heard a scream that pierced through his bones.

Without hesitation, Adam"s instincts kicked into overdrive. He dashed across the threshold and rushed through the dimly lit hallway. The house seemed to hold its breath, suffocating under an oppressive silence broken only by the sound of his racing heartbeat.

As he neared the bedroom door, fear tangled with dread inside him like an intricate knot. A flickering light spilled out from within, casting macabre shadows on the walls. Adam forced himself to push forward, his entire body trembling with horror and determination.

He flung open the door, the wooden frame creaking in protest, and his eyes were instantly drawn to the scene unfolding before him.

The bed was a mess of disheveled sheets and pillows, but that wasn"t what caught his attention. There, sprawled across the bed, was Steven, Sarah"s husband. His body was limp and unresponsive, blood seeping out from a gaping wound on his forehead.

Adam"s heart practically stopped, grief and shock washing over him in waves. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the sight of the blood-stained walls behind Steven"s lifeless form.

But his attention was soon drawn back to Sarah. She stood by the bed, trembling and looking like she had seen a ghost. There was a gun in her hand; she was holding it between two fingers, staring at it while sobbing relentlessly. She looked absolutely terrified.

"Sarah? What have you done?"

Adam"s heart shattered into a million pieces, realizing the gravity of the situation. He rushed toward Sarah, trying to reach out to her to make sure she didn"t hurt herself or him.

"Sarah, come on, we need to call an ambulance," he pleaded, his voice trembling with emotion.

But Sarah was beyond any help he could offer. Her eyes were empty, her face a pale mask of horror. She looked like she had lost her soul, her grip on reality slipping through her fingers.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Adam could hear the sound of his own breathing, his heart pounding, and the distant thunder from storm clouds gathering again outside. It felt like everything was crashing down around him.

Then, suddenly, Sarah"s grip on the gun faltered, and it fell to the floor. Adam lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her away from the weapon. She was shaking in his hands.

"It"s alright, Sarah, it"s okay."

He could feel her body trembling, convulsing with sorrow and guilt as she sobbed onto his shoulder. Adam knew that he couldn"t leave her like this. He had to get help for both of them… for Victoria.

Gripping the phone tightly, Adam dialed 911, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Yes, I"d like to report a… an incident. I"m at 139 East Suwannee Lane. Yes, there"s been a… a shooting. I think you need to hurry."