After several seconds I opened my eyes to see her sprawled out on the floor, her limbs twitching. And so much blood. A dark red puddle was spreading out onto the floor next to her. Crimson specks spread across the room behind her. This wasn’t what I had pictured happening when I had grabbed the shotgun. I don’t know what I had naively thought would happen, but it wasn’t this.

There was so much blood, I couldn’t tell where the shot had hit her and whether the wound was fatal or if she had only been temporarily disabled. An onslaught of emotion broke through the shock of the moment. Regret. Panic. A sudden urge to run. To where? I didn’t know. Just not here.