I can't die. I have a family. I have kids to raise, a husband to love.

So I jump off the bike, leaving Roshard on it.

I feel myself hit the ground a good fifty feet away from the house, Lucia bullets forward, slamming into the gas tank that allows us to use the stove.

I cover my ears when I hear it blow up, taking out the wall of the house. Bricks and piece of metal fly everywhere. I put my hands over my head, an intense pain in my wrist from how I landed.

When I don't feel any more debris falling, I turn my head.

A gaping hole is gone from the house. Lucia is gone, and so is Jacob Roshard.

I need to call the police and get Nathan help before he bleeds out in front of the kids.

The house is still on fire, the smell of gasoline is strong.

I get up and sprit to the barn, running to my favorite tan horse.

I named her Natalie three years ago as a joke with Nathan.

She has her reins on, but no saddle. I climb onto her back dig my heels in.

She takes off, flying out of the barn and down the street, back towards the house.

I abandon my helmet somewhere alone the way, fire trucks and police cars and ambulances rushing past me. I lean into Natalie, digging my heels in.

She's galloping as hard as she can, and a few minutes later, I arrive back to the house, I launch off Natalie and go rushing in through the garage, ripping the house phone off the kitchen wall.

Nathan is still conscious, trying desperately to free his hands.

I dial 911 as I grab a knife.

"Odeletta!" Nathan gasps. "You're bleeding!"

I ignore him, rushing over to cut the ropes around his wrists, and then around his ankles. I rush to the kids and yank the tape off of each of their mouths, cutting all the ropes to set them free.

"Where's Roshard?" Nathan demands. "What happened to you? Why are you bleeding?"

"He's dead, Nathan." I rasp. "He's dead."

"What?" He asks. "I didn't hear Lucia."

"She's gone." I whisper. My wrist hurts so bad. I yank my jacket off and look down.

My bone is sticking out. I feel burns on my back from where my shirt rode up. I can hear police whizzing down the street, along with more fire trucks and more ambulances.

I just killed him, and Lucia.

Lucia is gone. Destroyed forever.

I can't feel the pain from the burns, I can feel the pain in my heart.

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"I blew her up, Nathan!" I shout at him. "I blew her up. Oh god, Lucia." I bury my head in my hands. "Lucia's dead."

_____