The spiky heeled shoes clicked in to view just as I was hauling myself on to my side. I tried to life my head to look the wearer in the eye but no joy.

Slender legs, slightly widening at the knee, feeding straight in to a jet black skirt. Why did it have to be her? Of all the people it could have been!

She bent at the knee and picked up the weapon by the thick metal handle. Hefting it from hand to hand she said in that too tenderhearted voice, “Now, now! You know better that to play with guns!”

My heart was trying to leave my body via my breastbone. Another gulp of air and my breathing was starting to return to normal. The words were forming in my head but I wasn’t sure if I had the courage to actually say them.

“Hello”, I managed to wheeze.

A smile slid it’s way across the older womans face.

“Mother”, I finished.

Her eyes drifted slowly from mine to the gun now in her right hand.

“You know better to play with guns.”

She pulled the trigger.