Fuzzy Navel

11:47 P.M.
MARY

IT DOESN’T WORK, as Mary expected. As soon as she presses the circuit breaker, it pops right back out. Mary presses it several times, with the same results.

No ZAP. No cries of men being electrocuted.

Which means Harry and Jacqueline are completely vulnerable.

Voices, coming from the living room. Jacqueline’s voice. Then a man she doesn’t recognize.

Mary has no weapon, and even if she had one she wouldn’t be able to hold it. The OxyContin has made her lightheaded, and it’s dampened some of the pain, but she still can’t open her hands.

Mary heads down the hall anyway.

As horrible as the last few hours have been, Mary has learned something about herself. Old and useless are not synonyms. Age does not equal feeble. And even though Mary is beaten, bowed, and has been around for a long time, she’s far from helpless. Her daughter needs help. And dammit, she’s going to get some.

Mary slips past the refrigerator, moves quietly to the edge of the living room, pausing next to the wall. She sees two men in army fatigues, holding very large handguns.

They’re pointing these guns at Jacqueline.

Mary gets ready to call to them, to draw their attention, and then the taller man gets shot in the throat.

Jacqueline doesn’t waste the opportunity. She runs into the garage.

Get away, Mary thinks. Bring help.

But knowing her daughter, Jacqueline won’t leave until everyone is safe.

I should have raised her to be less considerate.

Then Harry rushes the other man, and there’s a scuffle. Though Harry McGlade is – what’s a good word? flawed – Mary has grown fond of the guy. She hurries into the living room to lend a gnarled hand. Mary abandoned him once, and won’t follow that particular path again.

More sniper fire. The man who was hit in the throat gets shot several more times, not in any vital spots. It’s so appalling that Mary knows Alex must be behind it. While Alex is preoccupied with that, Mary gets close to Harry, to push against him and keep the man pinned to the wall. But then the sniper gets a hand free, and he fires at both of them.

Mary gets knocked backward, Harry smacking into her.

She has no idea if she’s been shot, or if Harry’s been shot, or perhaps even both of them.