Frozen Embers by D. S. Novis (room on the broom read aloud txt) 📖

gestured to the unopened parcel “Is from you.”

“Yes it is.” answered Molly, grateful for the change in subject.

Gabriel ripped the brown paper off and pulled out a thick black book. The cover read ‘Memories’ in big and bold golden letters. He opened the first page. Written in Molly’s calligraphy styled hand writing on the inside of the cover were the words ‘It’s you and me against the world Gabriel. Smile and think of me. Love Molly’.

Gabriel started to flick through the book. It was a kind of scrap book full of photographs of Molly and him. There were some pictures, however, that he didn’t remember being taken. Confused, he examined them closer. After a moment or two he realized. They were not photographs at all, they were paintings. Paintings depicting real-life memories that Molly and Gabriel had shared. 

In watercolors, oil, pencil and charcoal. Sketches, drawings and paintings.

Gabriel stared fixedly on one painting in particular. He had recognized it immediately. It was a watercolor painting. A genius array of red and orange sky entwined majestically around an ever lowering yellow sun that delved into the most tranquil of blue seas. Gabriel's mind was sent flying back to their trip to the beach the previous summer, relived again in shockingly great detail.

Gabriel never cried. It wasn't in his nature. So it surprised him when he went to speak but was almost rendered mute by an unfamiliar lump in his throat. He resolved to stay silent till the strange phenomena subsided. He looked at every page in detail, studying them, as Molly walked by his side in silence.

“Molly it’s...” Gabriel started. Molly seemed to understand. She stopped Gabriel and gave him a firm hug, which he returned gladly.

“You and me against the world, Gabriel. Remember that.” She whispered in his ear.

Gabriel broke off to look upwards. He was confused. He had heard the sound of a helicopter. It had sounded way too close, though. Like it was flying too low. Seeing no helicopter or anything that would create the noise he looked back down at Molly.

"Molly I have got you something but I left it at home."

"Oh what a shame!" Molly said sincerely.

"I'm sorry. I'll give you it when you get home." Gabriel said feeling guilty.

"But I wanted to wear it today."

"I wanted you to but- wait." Gabriel stopped, puzzled. "What do you mean wear it?"

Molly gave a devilish smile. She pulled down the collar of her top to reveal a white golden chained necklace. A shimmering diamond hung low off of the chain, eclipsing the beauty of the snow flakes that fell to gently rest on its surface.

"Don't be angry Gabriel. I found it and couldn't resist. I thought you'd forget to give it to me today. It's just so pretty." She paused and waited for Gabriel's reaction.

Gabriel tried his best poker face but sardonicism was nothing compared to Molly's. He gave up and his lips spread into a wide grin.

"You're always ahead of me aren't you?" He laughed. "Glad you like it. Happy fifteenth birthday."

"I love it!" Molly said delighted.

"Good."

Gabriel kissed Molly on the cheek and continued to walk down the street. It was only after several moments that he realized Molly wasn’t next to him. He turned around to see her standing several paces back.

“What are you doing?” Gabriel asked.

“Your cheque.” Molly answered. “We may as well cash it now, don’t you think? Whilst we’re walking by the bank.”

Gabriel looked at his surroundings. They were standing at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the Town Street Bank. This was the bank that Gabriel had dreamt of the previous night. He had been so engrossed in his conversation with Molly that he hadn’t noticed where they were.

“No!” Gabriel shouted making Molly jump and take a step backwards in surprise. “I mean, no not right now. We’ll be late for school. Surely we've only got a few minutes till it starts.” He said hoping to cover up his slip.

“Gabriel, how many times have I told you to change those batteries in your alarm clock? It's been broken for weeks."

Gabriel looked at his wrist watch.

"Oh." He mumbled.

"We’ve got plenty of time.” Molly said. She walked over to Gabriel and took the cheque out of his hand. Then she turned and started to walk up the stairs.

“Molly, no.” Gabriel said with conviction. Molly turned to him and raised her eyebrows.

“Why are you so weird?” she asked.

Gabriel went to talk but stopped himself as he ran through in his head what it would sound like to tell her the truth.

Well last night I had a dream that this bank was going to be robbed so I'd rather not use it today. Thank you for your understanding and apologies for any inconvenience that may have arisen as a result of this prophecy.

Of course he couldn't say that. And so, reluctantly, he followed Molly up the concrete stairs and through the revolving doors.

The inside of the bank was large and high ceilinged. It was very well illuminated thanks to its clean white walls and dozens of windows. It was fairly busy yet there was almost no noise, just a low buzz of mumbling. Molly went to join the line, but Gabriel lagged back. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.  He shook his head and, realizing that the security guard was giving him a funny look, went to join Molly in the line.

“Seriously Gabriel, what’s wrong?” Molly asked.

But Gabriel didn’t hear her. He had just heard car's tires screech to a halt outside. Gabriel grabbed Molly’s hand and began to pull her to the wall of the bank.

“Gabriel? What-” Molly started but then gasped. Several masked men with guns forced their way into the bank through the revolving doors. Gabriel closed his hands over Molly’s eyes as one masked man pointed a ‘Remington Model 1100’ shotgun into the face of the security guard.

 

BANG!

 

The peaceful and boring scene of the bank turned to one of chaos in the blink of an eye; a disturbed bees hive. Bankers and customers alike dived to the ground. Man, woman and child scrambled for cover. A roar of screams and yells echoed off of the spotless white walls. Gabriel grabbed Molly and pulled her under a desk.

“Everybody, get down!” yelled a deep booming voice. Was that Michael? Gabriel thought. Of course it's Michael you idiot! yelled another part of his brain.

The explosive sounds of gunshots crashed against Gabriel's eardrums.  Gabriel looked down at Molly. She looked terrified.

The masked men were bellowing commands to the cashier to empty all of the money into the bags. Gabriel's foggy brain tried to form some kind of a plan. They just want the money, he reasoned. As long as we stay under this desk they will grab the money and go.

As though someone had heard his thoughts, before Gabriel had time to react, Molly was seized from under the desk.

“Gabriel!” she screamed.

Gabriel jumped out from behind the desk and looked across the vast hall. Molly was being carried on the shoulder of one of the masked men.

“I’ve got a hostage! Let’s get out of here!” One of the masked men yelled to his comrades. They all ran into a door by the side of the bank marked 'Stairs'.

Gabriel's mind had deserted him, leaving nothing behind but empty space. What was he supposed to do? What could he do? When it came down to it there was only one thing he could do. He made after them. He pushed his way through the sea of panicking citizens and burst through the door to the stairs. He could hear them running. They were about three stories up from the sounds of it.

Why were they going upwards? This made no sense. Surely once they had the money they would leave threw the door they came into. The police would have already blocked off the roads, Gabriel thought. How would they escape by going up the stairs? They must know a different way to get out of the building.

The answer hit him like a ton of bricks and quite literally knocked the wind out of him. The sound of the helicopter Gabriel had heard outside rang in his mind. Gabriel bolted up the stairs as fast as he could. He wasn’t, he couldn’t lose Molly.

Around story seven Gabriel heard a door smash open above him and the sound of a helicopter hit his eardrums. Light and cold air filled the stairway.

Gabriel quickened his run and within seconds he reached the door to the roof.

The snow was falling much more rapidly. There was nothing elegant about this, it was a full-blown blizzard now. The roof had a layer of snow inches thick.

Gabriel covered his eyes with his hands and looked over to the other side of the roof. There were five masked men loading bags full of money into a black helicopter. Gabriel could see Molly. She was kicking and screaming in the arms of a masked man inside the helicopter.

Gabriel eyes scanned the scene before him. He laid out a thousand scenarios in his head. He concluded that the odds were he could take on one, maybe two of the men. He could not, however, take six. Plus Michael was about double his size. And on top of all of that they all were carrying shotguns. He didn't know it yet but the shotguns weren't the most dangerous things on the rooftop with Gabriel. 

His scattered brain had overlooked something. Actually less of something and more of two someones.

Next to the helicopter stood two men. Both remarkably handsome, with combed-back black hair. Both dressed in smart black looking business suits.

Gabriel made his way forward not knowing what he was going to do when two men materialized into his vision. He could have sworn that he had not seen them there the second before. Their clothes were so dark in comparison to the snow white background that he couldn't see how he had missed them before.

They both stood there calmly, holding their hands behind their backs. With only mildly interested looks on their faces, they watched the robbers. As though they had just happened to be strolling by when this caught their attention.

The sight before Gabriel was so baffling that he stopped striding towards the helicopter. What were these men doing? Were they involved? The robbers didn't seem to have noticed them. They had an almost supervisor look them. Like they were babysitting the bank robbers and just watching them incase they did anything wrong.

"Hey!" Gabriel yelled. Catching even himself by surprise. Even though over the sound of the wind his voice hit all of the ears on the roof. Everyone, including the two men in suits looked over to him.

“Michael!” Gabriel shouted at the top of his lungs.

Every one of men froze where they stood and looked towards the biggest figure of the bunch.

“Mich-“ Gabriel was cut short. The man he was now sure was Michael turned around to face Gabriel. Gabriel could tell, even with the mask on, that it was Michael. He called for one of the masked men to go to Gabriel. Following lazily behind were the two men in business suits.

Gabriel raised his arms in submission as a rather small masked man walked towards him pointing a shotgun half heartedly at him.

"I think you had better turn back round kid." The masked man said.

"Listen, all I want is my sister! Please, you have the money just let her go." Gabriel pleaded, his arms still in the air.

"That's not my call to make kid. So either you turn around now or I'm gunna have to shoot you."

Gabriel changed tact. He looked over to the men in suits.

"Please-" He started but was cut short.

As Gabriel’s eyes met the pair belonging to one of the suited men, pain like Gabriel had never felt before pierced his back. Gabriel fell to his knees. Blood trickled from his back, redding the snow as it fell in droplets before him.

"What the heck?" yelled the masked