How did I plummet into adulthood? I went to the bank, of course, I witnessed a horrifying scene and lost two people I loved. The bank was almost robbed and I’m still trying to accept that I saved that bank. I can’t even walk into there...or go near it. At least I know I’m not a kid anymore. I can’t be a kid anymore.  

                                                          …..

       Mom was at the front door and I noticed she got home later than usual but I thought nothing of it. The second she walked into the living room I could tell she was distressed and sleep-deprived. She insisted that we go to that wretched bank even though it was 8:30 and the bank would close around 9:30. I pleaded and begged her not to go that day, I didn’t wanna have to wake my kid brother up and tag along.

                Would things have been different if I didn’t go?

      I agreed to go as long as we could get food on the way home, I got my way. My brother was being annoying as normal but I could tell that he knew something was up with mom too. “Hey mama, you okay?” said my brother. My mother, surprisingly, seemed upset about the fact that he had asked her such a question and snapped “Yes. Yuma I’m fine..”. All of a sudden it was completely quiet on the ride to that terrifying bank.

             Why was mom so upset? It’s not like her.

      We finally arrived at the bank after what seemed like hours sitting in awkward silence. Mom told us to go into that despicable bank with her because it would take a while. “I don’t wanna go mama” said Yuma as he slowly got out of the car. I responded by getting out of the car and poking him teasingly “Would you like to be kidnapped??”. He made a weird face as we walked into the bank that was unusually busy.

           What was that face Yuma made? Was it fear?

      We were standing in line for a while but the wait was finally over because we were next in line. I noticed a black van pull up out of my peripheral vision but I thought nothing of it. I thought nothing of that car until the people inside of it walked into the building. It was 4 men. Something was off about them though...they were wearing masks and had Beretta 92’s.

          Was the bank being robbed??

      One of the men starred right at my mother, brother, and me. He aimed his gun as I reached for my mother’s arm. But I was too late to push her out of the way...she was already dead. I couldn’t scream or cry. The only thing I could do was stare at my brother while he screamed for mom to wake up. 

        Was this a dream? I couldn’t tell.

      I subconsciously grabbed for Yuma’s arm and pulled him away from mom’s body. I ran with Yuma to try and escape downstairs in the opposite direction of the robbers. We were running and for a moment I had hope that we’d get out alive but then I heard a gunshot. I looked back and the bullet that was shot was directed at my brother...it hit him. He stopped running and slumped to the floor. 

        What just happened?

      He was dead. I couldn’t stop and go back for him though. I wanted to..no I needed to live for him and mom. I kept running and running until I made my way to the manager’s office in the basement and barricaded myself in. All I could do was stare at the wall until I thought about the innocent people in the lobby. 

        Was I in shock? Is that why I can’t cry?

      I reached for my phone to call 9-1-1 but my phone was dead. How could it be dead now? I thought about dad and what he would do after he found out we were all dead after the robbers found me curled up under the desk of the now-dead manager. I couldn’t think of dying because I needed to help the other people there. 

        I need to be strong for them and avenge them, right?

      I pulled myself together and figured the right thing to do was run upstairs and try to get help. That’s all I can do. I slowly made my way out of the manager’s office and upstairs. I could hear people talking even though it was quiet. I could hear that they were in the lobby somewhere. 

       What are they saying?

     “Here this way..” said the first voice. It was a female...was it a survivor? “Just hurry up and open the vault!” Said the second voice. I could tell it was one of the robbers but where were all the innocent people? I slowly made my way to the lobby and right before my eyes lay the dead bodies of all the people who came to the bank. 

        Why’d the robbers have to kill everyone?

    I looked to my left and saw five figures near a large door. Was that the vault? I then saw a girl open the door with a code. Was she helping the robbers? Shortly after she opened the vault one of the men pointed a gun to her head and for a second the girl and I made eye contact but the look in her eyes was saying “don’t do something stupid”. 

        Who is that girl? Does she work here?

      I had to act fast and help her out. I saw something silver on the floor to my right. It was on someone though..it was a revolver. I reached for it and aimed it at the man who was holding the girl hostage. The girl, however, shook her head slightly as if telling me not to do it but the man holding the gun up to her head pulled the trigger and so did I. 

        Did I kill him?     

     They both fell to the floor and all I could do was aim the gun at the three other men and shot untell I was sure they were all dead. I slowly walked over to them and I was correct, I killed them all. I needed to get ahold of dad so I desperately searched the dead bodies until I found a phone. I was shaking and crying...I was crying for the first time all day. “Hey, dad I need you to pick me up..mom and Yuma are dead..at the bank.”

    That was the end of my childhood. That’s when I knew I needed to wake up and accept that this world isn’t always beautiful.