BEGINNING WITH PAIN (Claire's POV)

"I said shut up," the tall squeaky looking bearded man screamed, I froze and it felt like the world would collapse on my shoulder that moment, and I could hear myself struggling to breathe, gasping for air and it was that moment I knew my life was going to change forever.

I stood behind the see-through tinted glass as my parents both knelt before this monster of a man.

My father's hands were trembling and I could see my mother wailing, sobbing, she was trying so hard to be strong.

I was just ten when my world changed, I knew I would relive that moment over and over again in my head. 

We were a happy family, one could say we were "Too happy," 

My father Mr. Cameron was recently appointed a judge in the city of New York, it was a big deal for our family because we knew that it would change our status. My dad was an exceptional man with a high sense of integrity and an unquenchable taste for justice, my mum would always tell him.

"Don't overdo it, there are certain things you just have to let slide," she would say with her low-pitched soprano voice that sounded so melodious as if she was singing.

"Then what difference would I be from the others," he would always reply to her.

But here they were at that moment trembling with fear as they saw their lives flashing before their eyes, my mum glared directly at the see-through glass, she could see me hiding behind the counter, she had sent me to the basement moment back to get a box of chocolates and now I held that box of chocolate in my hands knowing full well I may never eat chocolate again in my life.

"What do you want, you can take all the money you want," my dad pleaded while my mum kept glaring in my direction, her eyes kept telling the ten years old me not to move.

I could almost read her mind and it said to me, "Don't move, everything would be fine," there was no way I could move because I suddenly developed complete paralysis at that moment.

"I don't need your money," he screamed, he was holding a black pistol and his hands were also trembling like mine.

"Listen, son, I am sure you don't want to do this___" 

"Don't ever call me your son," he screamed at my father, interrupting him. 

"You don't know how long I have waited for this, you ruined my life," he yelled again, he kept moving from side to side, and my mother remained still.

I suddenly felt like I could move again and I immediately saw the emergency button. My mom nodded her head, I just needed to move five steps, to get there, five steps and that was all.

The five hardest steps of my life.

"What do you want then?" My dad asked as he saw me heading toward the emergency button, he was trying to buy time and distract the devilishly looking man, he was the devil in human form, no doubt about that.

"I want you to suffer, just like he did, to rot and pay for all your sins," he yelled back at him, his eyes were becoming red as he kept using the gun to scratch his head, clearly he knew the frivolity of what he was doing. He was confused and probably high on some cheap crack.

"Who is he?" My father asked, still trying to buy time for me. As soon as he did, I hit the alarm, and for the first time, I exhaled because I knew it would only take the police minutes to arrive. 

My mum signaled that I should go back behind the counter and as I tried to rush back my hands hit the iron chair behind it.

I wish I could shut the chair up, when it came landing on the ground and let a loud sound I knew that was it for me, I was going to die.

The bearded man turned back as his eyes swiveled almost immediately towards my direction and he immediately rushed towards me my dad immediately launched at him and tried to grab the gun from his hand, but with one swift movement, it fired.

"Pow!!!" The sound I heard let out as I was immediately startled, I could hear the police siren approach closer as I heard another gunshot again.

"Pow!!" I froze this time, I couldn't move and the next sound I heard was the door being forced open and shut again. 

I couldn't move, my hand became still, and my legs were paralyzed again. I couldn't see my parents but I knew something had happened, my mind could feel behind my virtual ability.

Then I heard a loud bulge, 

"Is anyone there, Police, come out and put your hands in the air, "

"Police," I heard again. I knew they were referring to me but I couldn't move. A female police officer came pointing a gun at me where I cuddled my legs shivering and as soon as she saw me, her eyes melted in sympathy.

"She is just a kid, drop your weapon " she instructed the other police behind her and also lowered her weapon.

"What is your name?" she asked squatting down where I sat and immediately I stood up and ran towards the door, I could feel her hands slip from me as she tried to hold me back.

That was when I saw the most horrific sight, my parents lay down in their pull of blood, lifeless and motionless. 

"Daddy, !!!" I exclaimed as I rushed towards them, screaming, shouting, crying, not minding the fact there was blood over there even when I slipped and fell I got up and grabbed them.

That was when the police held me back and said.

"It is going to be alright,"

I lunged up from my bed screaming.

"Noooooo," 

I was breathing huskily, like someone who had just run ten thousand miles of marathons and lost. I was sweating profusely and I felt a hand touch me.

"What is it darling?" Justin asked as he cuddled me in his arms and I burst into tears.

It's been ten years and I am still haunted by the ghost of my past.

The day my parents were killed before me.