“It might not be them,” my mom said, but I didn’t think anyone actually believed that. Only the Ezzatis were brave enough to come after my family. No one else would dare, or at least that was what I’d overheard my brother say once. The window not far from us exploded into pieces, and I buried my face in my mom’s curly brown hair. My sister burst into tears.

I heard footsteps and more shots, but I couldn’t see anything, so I just held onto my mom, her warm embrace like a safe blanket that could protect me from anyone who wanted to do me harm. Seconds trickled by. Things fell over and thudded to the ground. Guns fired over and over again.

And then everything went quiet. So quiet that I shut my eyes and was too afraid to even breathe. My mom’s body went rigid, and a scream made me open my eyes. My sister was sobbing as she hugged herself. Since my mom’s grip on me eased a little, I turned my head toward the rest of the room, and wished I hadn’t.

Unfamiliar, angry-looking men with weapons were everywhere, and at their feet, I spotted one of my brothers in a pool of blood. He wasn’t moving. My heart thudded as if it were going to burst out of my chest, but I didn’t cry. I couldn’t.

My dad was on his knees, and a bulky, bald man was pointing a gun at the back of his head. My brothers were kneeling, their clothes torn and bloody, and weapons were aimed at their heads.

“Get them,” the bald man yelled, and his men rushed toward my mom, my sister, and me. My mom screeched, trying to shield my sister and me with her body, but the men were stronger than she was. One of them grabbed me roughly by the arm and hauled me to my feet, then jabbed the barrel of his gun into the back of my head. My chest kept rising and falling, but I wasn’t sure if I was still breathing... still existing... or if this was just a very vivid nightmare.

My sister was dragged to the side, and another man backhanded my mom as she clawed at him. She fell to the floor and didn’t get back up because the man pressed his big boot on her head.

“Ah. The Montis on their knees,” the bald man said with a wide grin. “Right where they belong.” He laughed, and his men joined in.

“Desmond, please,” my dad said. “My children... They’re innocent. This is between us. Do with me whatever you want, but please spare my children.”