Free at Last

         Her laugh broke the cold silence. Mother was in shock or either laughing to keep from crying. The world has flipped upside down. It does not seem true, not even to me. No one anticipated this; perfection is only skin deep. The blue strobe lights flash not far down the road, the sirens squeal. It feels as if millions of energetic butterflies are fluttering in my stomach. I plop on the grass and wait because I know everything is over, my own life and mainly his life. The wood grain handle hand gun adjacent to my bruised legs nags me. No remorse and no sorrow, I know I am free now even if they keep me captive.