Broken Glass

The glass tinkles on the kitchen floor, startling Annie awake.
It's 3 in the morning.
"Just an old woman hearing things.." she mumbles to herself.
She tries to doze back off, only to meet with the clatter of ceramic.
Then the thump thump thump of small anxious footsteps up the hall.
It's her grandson, Ted, he heard the sounds too.
There's a small scream, but it is cut short by two, almost imperceptible coughs.
She didn't hear Ted again.
There are more coughs. Not real coughs, little spits.
pok pok pok pok pok pok pok pok pok pok pok
more glass is shattered, a few minutes later there's a loud whoosh as though something was being set on fire.
But she doesn't move. Her grandson, her home, her life, all jeopardized-
And there she lay. Immobilized by fear, and a frail heart.
The scent of burning flesh fills the room.
The fire below- she hears it -cackling. Mocking her.
Hhhiiiiiiiiiiiissss
The cackling subsides. The clang of more broken glass, followed by a cough. Then an explosion.
Gunshots, she's hearing gunshots.
Annie weeps, covered in sweat, knowing that death is coming her way.
Calm, steady steps echo through the house, as smoke veils the darkness.
The footfall edges up to Annie's door, and stop.
She pulls the sheet up to her bloodshot eyes as the door eases open.
Annie is blinded by a flashlight.
There is only the light, and the dark apparition standing behind it.
The dark stranger outstretches an arm. In his a hand, a silenced handgun.
There is one last small cough. Annie's body jerks-
She bolts upright in bed. It's dawn outside, and her heart is in her throat.
"It was a dream, a dream."
She looks around the room, grateful for life, drinking in the light and-
She screams. It's loud, pitiful, and broken by sobs.
It pierces the air, and flocks of birds flee from nearby trees.
--
When authorities arrived, they were greeted by two bodies: Grandma Annie, slumped down in a corner of the room, hand clutched at her chest.
And on her bed was a small child, couldn't be more than 10, riddled with bullet holes, burnt nearly unrecognizable, and with two sizable shards of partially melted glass impaling each eye socket.