Page 5 of No Quarter

Charlie looked to a second door in the room. His brain was already trying to strategize. His thoughts ran rampant searching for the best and safest solution.

Someone in the hall…

Can’t take the family out that way…

The other door leads to the L shape hallway…

No escape…

This room is no good, two ways in and out.

Need a more defensible position.

One way in or out. Funnel them toward my gunfire.

In the blink of an eye, the plan was formulated in his head and kicked into gear.

“Through that door, left and then into the second room,” Charlie whispered to his brother.

“We should take Angela and the kids out the back way!” Marvin protested in hushed tones.

“No good,” Charlie said. “There’s someone in the kitchen, maybe more. I can hear them. We’d have to cut through there. Just do as I say, Marvin.”

“It’s a bad idea, Bro.”

“Just do it!”

Marvin backed down. He had no other choice. Despite their problems, Marvin knew Charlie had far more experience than he did.

Charlie moved to the other door and opened it as quietly as possible. Peeking out around the corner, his own gun now stretched out in his hand, Charlie nervously viewed the L part of the hallway. A hallway in a once peaceful family setting was now under threat from violent thugs.

Charlie listened.

The footsteps were moving toward the dining room and now he only had seconds to react and defend his family.

He waved Marvin on with his hand. Angela held both children close, leading them quickly through the door.

Pointing at the second door across the hallway, Charlie only took his eyes from the direction of the footsteps for one brief second. But it was long enough for him to hear the unmistakable handling noise of a revolver being cocked.

“Down!” Charlie screamed, jumping in front of his wife and kids.

Two shots fired as an assailant emerged from the corner of the hallway.

The third bullet that sounded was Charlie’s as he caught the attacker in the leg just above the knee.

The man crumpled to the ground, screaming and holding his leg.

“Let’s get out of here!” Marvin yelled.

But Charlie heard two sets of other feet rushing toward their position and more movement elsewhere in the house.

He pushed Marvin, the kids, and Angela through the door into the back room.

As he did so, several more shots were fired, splintering into the wall next to Charlie’s head as other assailants appeared in the hallway. His ears rang with the sound, but he had at least gotten his family into that room.

It was a small den with a lazy boy chair, a wardrobe, and a few other bits and bobs. But Charlie had chosen it because it had only one door and a small window to defend.

“Now what!” Angela cried out, looking around her.

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