“So, the next part of our perfect lazy day,” I began, it was now around quarter past four and we were heading down the driveway to the mansion, “I suggest we go up to my room and chill for a bit, then go down to the pool for a swim.” We all shared a smile.

“Are we ever going to get bored of living in our swimming costumes and swimming all the time?” Renuka asked, pulling a mock quizzical face at us, hand on chin.

“Never!” Ellie cried. We all giggled as we made our way through the glass doors. “Hey!,” I called up the stairs, “Sorry we’re a bit late Lori! We’ll be in mine and Ellie’s room for a bit!” We ran up the first set of stairs, expected a reply from someone in a few seconds, but it never came. We stopped in our tracks and turned to look at eachother. At least someone had to be here by now, Lori was never not on time. She couldn’t abide ‘latecomers’, as she called them.

“Hello, Anyone?”Renuka called up the stairs again. No reply. I jumped up a few more shiny quartz steps and all of a sudden I could hear a slightly muffled sobbing sound and low murmuring coming from another flight up. I beckoned for the others to follow me. We were all quickly becoming more anxious and confused. What had happened? Why wasn’t anyone replying to our calls? I swiftly pivoted around the head of the banister, following the sound. It seemed to be coming from one of the upstairs living rooms. We apprehensively went down the bright, airy corridor to a door at the end left slightly ajar. “Hello?”I called yet again. I heard a gasp from inside and my mum suddenly burst out and closed the door behind her in one fluid movement. Her eyes were wide, shocked and brimming with tears. I had never seen her like this before. She looked terrified. “G-girls,” she said,he voice wavering, “Your, um, do you- maybe you want to go downstairs for a-”. She closed her mouth. She seemed unable to open it again. I heard another stifled squeal, followed by a manic sob. “Mum, what's going on? W-what’s happened?”I asked, a sort of quiet terror rising in my stomach. She opened her mouth, but closed it again without a word. I went to open the door, but she immediately stopped me. “No.” she said. “What, mum-”

“Auntie Karen? Could you tell us what’s happened?” Renuka questioned, coming over to soothingly pat her on the shoulder. My mum seemed to calm down slightly for a second, and dropped her hand from the door handle. “Just, don’t go in there.”she said with slightly more courage, yet still looking down at her feet as more silent tears came. I looked over to Ellie, she had her eyebrows slightly raised, and when she caught my eye, she bit her lip, confused. She slowly walked over to my mum too. I don’t know how it happened, or what went through my mind, but I grasped the handle and pushed the door open. Everyone gasped. Inside were my whole adult family and Ellie’s dad. They were all sitting or standing in various positions, looking down and sobbing, some quietly yet others almost hysterically. I followed their gazes, and my heart dropped. I will not describe what I saw next, but I will tell you it was bad. Very bad. I couldn’t believe it. No, it couldn’t be happening. I hated it. I had to look away. I didn’t know what to do. No, this was just too terrible. I turned to look at my mum, Renuka and Ellie, who had now all seen it too. Their eyes reflected mine, pure horror, disbelief and instant grief.

“I-I didn’t want you to have to see but-” She broke out sobbing again and I ran over, slamming the door to be embraced in a tight, uncomfortably hot, shaky hug. We were both sobbing now, loudly. We clung on tight to each other. We didn’t believe it, we didn’t want to believe it. My grandad had been shot. And now… now he was dead.