When Josie reached home, she saw a group of men beating her father badly.
Her mother and Rosie were tied up, crying and begging them to stop.
"Why are they beating Dad? He didn't do anything wrong! Why?" Josie thought as she hid behind a tree.
"Hey, guys, stop that!" she shouted.
The men paused in their assault.
One of them stepped forward. "Long time no see, Ken."
Josie's dad lifted his head and saw him—a hefty guy with a bald head.
Struggling to speak, Josie's dad managed, "What do you want?"
"Nah, nah, easy now. Don't strain yourself. After all, you're going to die," the hefty guy replied with a sneer.
Her mother and Rosie cried out louder.
"Please don't hurt my daddy!"
"Why are you beating him? Who are you?" her mother asked, fear lacing her voice.
"Who am I? My name is Lincoln. I run a weapon-making factory, and in that factory, your husband was the main hero."
Josie, her father, and her mother exchanged shocked glances.
"It was going smoothly until you showed up and ruined everything. He betrayed me and went to live with you in Japan. Because of your husband, I lost my company. But now, I've partnered with someone and regained everything."
"Then why are you here?" Josie's dad asked, confusion etched on his face.
"Because I want revenge. I know you have guns with you. I want those guns—give them to me."
"I won't give those guns to you."
"What?" Lincoln raised his hand as if to strike him.
Suddenly, a shot rang out, and Lincoln staggered back, clutching his eye.
"Josie!" her dad shouted, shocked.
"Men, capture her!" Lincoln yelled.
Josie turned and ran, the sound of her family shouting, "Run, Josie, run!" ringing in her ears.
Just then, she felt a sharp pain in her leg and fell.
"Got you, you little sh*t!" one of the men said as he grabbed her.
They tied her up and dragged her to Lincoln.
"You little brat! You hit me with a stone! What's wrong with you?" he spat, kicking Josie.
Her family begged Lincoln to stop.
"Please don't hurt my child! I'm begging you!"
"Don't hurt her, please, sir!"
"Lincoln, you bastard! Stop hitting my child, dammit!" her dad shouted.
But Lincoln didn't seem inclined to listen.
"Nah, I've had enough. I'm going to kill you with my pistol!" he shouted, pointing the gun at Josie.
"Please, leave her alone!"
"No, please don't do that!"
He began to pull the trigger…
"Stop it!" Josie's dad shouted like a man possessed, sending chills down even Lincoln's men.
"I'll give you my guns, but you have to promise not to kill my child. Is that okay?"
"Oh, that's a nice deal."
"Can I trust you?" Lincoln asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm a man of my word, dammit!"
"Okay then, they're in my underground storeroom."
"You heard him, guys! Go and bring them to me!" Lincoln ordered.
"Okay, boss!" the men shouted and ran into the house.
Minutes later, they returned with every gun from the storeroom, including a legendary sniper rifle.
"Oh my God, those are amazing guns you have there, Ken. Wonderful!" Lincoln exclaimed, examining them.
"You have my guns now; leave us alone!" Josie's dad pleaded.
"What? You only said to leave your child alive—not you or your wife."
"What?" Josie's dad exclaimed in shock.
"You think I'd easily forgive what you did to me? I'm going to punish you, to make you fear betrayal!"
"Hey, everyone, why don't we test the guns on this cute husband and wife?" Lincoln shouted happily.
"Okay, sir!" the men replied, cheering.
"Leave us alone, dammit!" Josie's dad yelled, anger bubbling over.
"Men, tie them to the posts—arms and legs spread wide."
They tied both parents to wooden posts, and Josie and Rosie fell to Lincoln's side.
"Mom! Dad!" they cried out in unison.
"Close your eyes and don't look!" their mother urged calmly.
"Now, where should I start? Yeah, I'll start with a pistol."
Bang!
Josie's mother screamed in pain. "Ahhhhhhh! My God!"
"Darling, you shameless bastard! How could you—"
Bang!
Josie's father was shot next, his scream echoing in the air.
Josie and Rosie shut their eyes tight, tears streaming down their faces as they heard their parents' agony.
"No, not like this!" Lincoln said, laughing maniacally. "Okay then, hand me that rifle."
"Oh, it's a little heavy. Let's test it out!"
Bang!
"Ahhhhhhh! Please stop!" she screamed.
"No! Please stop! You can test it on me—leave her alone!" Josie's dad shouted.
Bang!
Josie's father was shot again.
From that moment on, all Josie could hear were gunshots, her parents' screams, and the laughter of their captors.
SHOOT…
SHOOT…
SHOOT…
SHOOT…
SHOOT…
SHOOT…
After what felt like an eternity, the screams stopped. Terrified they might be dead, Josie finally opened her eyes.
"Mooooooommmmmmmyyyyy!" she screamed, her throat raw.
Hearing Josie, Rosie also opened her eyes.
"Mooooooom! Daaaaaad!" they cried.
Both parents were covered in blood, riddled with bullet holes—no part of them untouched. They were tied up, barely able to speak.
Josie and Rosie cried uncontrollably, unable to comprehend the horror before them. Their once beautiful and loving parents were now half-dead, bound to posts.
"Nah, I'm sick of this. Give me the launcher; I'm going to finish this!" Lincoln roared.
"You monster! How could you do this to my parents, you stupid fatty pig?" Josie yelled.
"What did you say?" Lincoln snapped.
Suddenly, one of the men hit her in the head.
"Shut up, you little sh*t!" he barked.
Everyone laughed, but Josie and Rosie kept crying.
"Okay then, let's launch this. Any last words, both of you?"
"Girls!" their mother shouted.
Josie and Rosie listened intently.
"Be fine ladies, so every man can respect you."
"Mommy!" both girls cried.
"My dears, your mother and I won't be with you anymore, but I've been happy for a long time. I'm grateful to have two beautiful daughters," he said, tears streaming down his face.
"Do you remember, Josie, when you asked why I still kept guns? It's because I love making guns," he told her, locking eyes with her.
"That's my dream, my everything. I wanted to be the greatest weapon maker, but I couldn't achieve that. Even after starting a family, I still love making guns. That's why I kept those guns as my memory—"
"IF YOU LOVE SOMETHING, YOU CAN'T FORGET IT!"
"That's why I'm happy you two have dreams like mine. I'm proud of you. Now, please tell me what you want to be," he shouted.
"I'm going to become the greatest weapon maker ever!" Rosie shouted confidently.
"I'm going to become the greatest sniper ever!" Josie echoed, equally determined.
"I'm glad, my babies!"
"Okay, let's put an end to this!" Lincoln declared, raising the launcher.
The launcher soared toward them.
In that moment, Josie's dad had a flashback.
He remembered the first time he met his wife.
"Ahh, you look so beautiful! What's your name?"
"何を言っているのか,それは理解できません," she replied.
"What?" He was confused.
After they got married…
"Hey, how about two daughters? That would be nice, right?" he suggested.
"What? Girls? I thought you wanted boys," she teased.
"Whatever! As long as they're healthy, that's all that matters."
After Rosie was born…
"See, Rosie? This is how you hold a gun so you can shoot."
His wife hit him on the head. "How many times have I told you not to show the gun to her? She's only one year old!"
"Sorry."
After Josie was born…
"See, Rosie? You have a little sister!"
"Ahh, she's so cute!" But suddenly, Josie pulled her hair.
"Ahh! Why did you pull my hair?"
"Hey, don't hit your sister!"
"I'm gonna kill her!" Rosie said, fuming.
After years of working in the factory, always covered in grease and breathing in smoke, he often wondered if he would become the greatest weapon maker. But after becoming a husband and father, he felt like he was living in heaven.
He looked at his family and smiled.
Just as the launcher was about to hit, it destroyed the posts to which they were tied.
"Mommy! Daddy!" both girls screamed in horror.
Continue...