A strong fortified tower, those were the only suitable descriptions that fit the presence standing tall over Georgie. "I said, WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE?" the man shouted, his voice seething with anger.

Without a response, the attacker tightened his grip on the knife, choosing instead to break the haunting silence with a sudden dash towards the man who shielded Georgie. With a singular goal in mind—the decimation of the Wheeler family—the attacker swung his knife at the man blocking his path. But hidden within this aggressive motion was a secret intention. Using his body weight to his advantage, the attacker aimed to push the man over and eliminate him as an obstacle.

The man, now vulnerable, was propelled past Georgie, tumbling to the ground under the force of the attack. As Georgie's eyes locked with the fallen figure, he recognized his savior—it was his track and field coach, Mr. Simmons.

In that moment, a mixture of relief and fear coursed through Georgie's veins. However, before he could react, tragedy struck once again in swift succession, “Do you have any idea how hard it was to keep up with your running earlier kid, you’re a freak!” the attacker shouted.

A sudden realization washed over Georgie's face as he realized that he’s the reason the attacker found their home, but, as if finally taking note of the silence he looked down at the motionless infant in his arms. The baby, once full of life and potential, now lay still and unresponsive. He broke, tears welled up in Georgie's eyes, his anguish echoing through the air as he began to cry.

Distracted by the horror one would only see in movies, Georgie failed to notice that the attacker seized the opportunity to launch a vicious assault. The knife sliced through the air, finding its mark and inflicting a fatal injury upon Georgie. Pain surged through his body, and he staggered, his grip on baby Arthur never faltering, he laid there, slowly bleeding out.

Witnessing this heartbreaking scene, Coach Simmons fought through the pain and summoned every ounce of his strength. He lunged at the attacker, tackling him to the ground in a desperate attempt to protect Georgie and avenge his fallen student.

A violent struggle ensued, the sounds of grunts and collisions filling the air. The attacker fought back ferociously, overpowering the coach and pinning him to the ground. The assailant's face contorted with rage as he raised the knife, ready to strike the final blow.

But just as despair threatened to consume them, the piercing wails of sirens cut through the night. The flashing lights of approaching police cars illuminated the scene, casting an eerie glow on the unfolding tragedy.

Startled by the imminent arrival of law enforcement, the attacker hesitated for a split second, providing the coach with a small window of opportunity. Summoning a reserve of strength, Coach Simmons mustered one final surge of energy. He managed to redirect the assailant's momentum, sending him sprawling to the ground.

As the attacker grappled with the coach, the police officers arrived, swiftly surrounding the scene. With weapons drawn and voices commanding compliance, they closed in on the attacker, preparing to apprehend him.

The attacker glanced at Georgie, realizing that his mission had been completed, the attacker dropped the knife, surrendering without resistance. The coach, his heart heavy with grief, crawled towards Georgie and the lifeless baby Arthur. His hands trembled as he checked for signs of life, but his worst fears were confirmed—they were both gone.

Overwhelmed by sorrow, the coach found himself caught in a whirlwind of memories. He recalled training Georgie in track and field, the young athlete's determination and unwavering spirit. Another memory surfaced, one filled with laughter and camaraderie, as a younger version of the coach, James, and Candice spent carefree days together.

But in the depths of his grief, a tempest of rage engulfed the coach. Gripped by an uncontrollable fury, he snatched the discarded knife and approached the attacker, who laid handcuffed on the ground. Each stab punctuated his anger, a visceral release of pent-up emotions. 

The arresting officers rushed to the scene, swiftly apprehending the coach instead. Handcuffed and defeated, he whispered to himself, his voice choked with remorse, "James, Candice, this is all I could do. Forgive this weak friend of yours."

As the police car doors closed, imprisoning him within its confines, the coach was left to grapple with the weight of his actions. Tears streamed down his face as he reflected on the tragic loss of the Wheeler family. Forever haunted by the decisions he had made in that fateful moment, the coach was brought down to the police station. As he entered, he was surprised to be greeted with a round of applause from the officers. Streams of tears mixed with smiles adorned their faces. After losing their chief of police, the officers were crying, but they found solace in the fact that at least the attacker had been dealt with.

Escorted to the interrogation room, the coach took a seat, awaiting the arrival of the detective. Moments later, the door swung open, and the detective stepped inside, a somber expression on their face.

The detective began the questioning, asking for the coach's name, age, and occupation, gathering the necessary information for their records.

They then delved deeper, asking about the coach's relationship with the Wheelers. "What was your relation with the Wheelers?" the detective inquired, their gaze fixed on the coach. The coach took a moment to compose himself before responding, "I have been a long-time family friend of the Wheelers. I also had the privilege of training young Georgie in track and field." The detective nodded, making notes on their notepad. They followed up with another question, curiosity evident in their voice. "How did you know the Wheelers were in trouble, and why weren't you the one to call us earlier?"

The coach leaned back in his chair, gathering his thoughts. "After practice had ended, and Georgie had run off, I told the other boys to go wash up while I went to my office. That's when I discovered a voicemail on the telephone from an unknown number and voice. The caller informed me that a strange man was lurking outside the school compound and that he disappeared after Georgie ran off. As for why I didn't call immediately, well, I wasn't sure of the severity of the situation."

Upon hearing this response, the detective furrowed their brow. "An unknown voice, you said? The station also received a call reporting an attack on the chief's home, though we don't know who the caller was. We're still investigating the connection."

With the questioning complete, the coach was temporarily confined and then taken to court to face the consequences of his actions a few days later. The jury deliberated, taking into account the circumstances surrounding the Wheeler family's tragedy. They deemed the coach's actions to be somewhat noble, protecting Georgie and sacrificing himself in the process. As a result, his sentence was reduced from 10 years to 2 years in prison.

As the judge pronounced the sentence, the coach maintained a stoic composure, accepting the verdict with a heavy heart. The weight of guilt and remorse remained with him, knowing that he couldn't bring back the lives that were lost, and that his friends and student were long gone.

The school, police station and the community were all left to grief, thus marking the end of the Wheelers.