Everything was black.

Before that, the tired man pulled the trigger with a heavy sigh.

Before that, the man sat lonesome on his bed soaked in blood. He held a worn.48 with three 
bullets already missing against his head.

Before that, the man stumbled into the room weeping from what he had done. His bloody footprints soaked through the carpet. The man slowly walked around the room and sat down on the queen sized bed. His mind clouded his actions. He faded in an out of reality distraught with his new-found grief. He sat up and walked over to the opposite side of the bed, and the saturated carpet began to squish under his step while he stepped on it. He sat down next to a the lump on his bed and began to recite “The Lord’s Prayer.”

Before that, the rain trickled down the pink outlined windows of a young girl’s room. Glitter caked the dresser and the walls. Unicorns covered the corners of the room, all with smiles upon their face. Tonight was nothing to be smiling about. Despair and sorrow were the only things that lurked in the air here. A small dripping sound could be heard. Liquid dripping from the bed frame onto the hardwood floors.

Before that, a young girl sniffled and asked:
“Is everything ok Daddy?”
“Don’t worry sweety everything will be ok, Daddy promises,” He said reluctantly.
“Where’s mommy?” The young one wondered.
“She’s sleeping right now. Daddy is here for you” He sighed. The man hugged his daughter tightly making sure she couldn’t squirm away like she always did. Whilst he was holding her tight, he raised the gun slowly placed it against her tiny, little loving head, and with a tear he pulled the trigger.

Before that, the man walked down the hall. The floor creaked with every step he took.

Before that, moonlight shined through the room. The walls were painted grey. The sheets on the bed matched the colors tremendously. The sheets were charcoal grey with a red streak on it, and at the top near the pillow there was a large red blotch that didn’t quite match the rest of the color scheme. Controllers for consoles spread across the floor carelessly placed, and never to be picked up again.

Before that, the room was silent the only sound was a slight breath that inhaled and exhaled a couple of times per minute. The father entered the room with immense disdain expressed on his face. He sat down near the foot of the bed ever so gingerly not to wake the child. He whispered, “I love you kid, and I hope you understand why I am doing this. I love you.” With those final words the man stood up again, softly pressed the cold steel barrel against his son’s head, and then it was over.

Before that, there was a soft voice at the door of the master sweet. “Mommy, is everything ok?”
The man answered in a raspy hoarse voice, “Everything is fine honey, go back to bed I’ll be with you soon I promise.”
“You promise?” She whimpered.
“I promise Sunshine, now get back to bed.” He said sternly with a cold twinge to it.
“Love you Daddy,” She murmured.
“Love you too…Princess.” He said reluctantly.

Before that, the lightning flashed over the crime scene. Blood spilling over the sheets and onto the floor, the pillows soaked in the red substance, and headboard had one single bullet hole in it. The cold lifeless body of a middle aged women lays underneath the comforter. Loving hands turned murdering ones.

Before that, a woman lies waiting for her husband to get into the bed and rest for the night. “Honey are you ok? You should get some rest.” She worried about him.
“No, I’m fine,” He chided with distaste.
“Well sooner or later you’re going to have to get some sleep. You have a long day at work tomorrow.” She rolled her eyes as she said this. The stress had been enough for James. He lost his job awhile ago due to outsourcing in China. He got up and walked over to the safe behind the wall, “Look, I’m tired of this Olivia. You are always on my tail about everything, and life is difficult I’m done. I’M DONE!” He began to raise his voice. He unlocked the safe and swung the door open. He grabbed his father’s old service revolver pivoted 180 degrees and pulled the trigger out of stress and instant rage. 

Before that, the man and his wife wash their hands at the vanity within the master suite. He looks over at her sweet gentle hands, and notices one small minute detail. There is no mark or anything where her ring should be. Speaking of which where is her ring? Maybe she forgot it at work. She did work late tonight after all. Come to think of it she had been working a lot recently. And she forgot her ring at work a couple of times. Maybe she lost it, and why didn’t she come to him about it? He would understand and maybe even take her ring shopping...or it may just be too much for the family to pay right now.

Before that, a man, his wife, and his two children are all smiling and eating dinner together. They share stories of their days and what happened throughout them. The fresh cooked meal made the mouths of the kids and husband water. She had cooked a lot from home recently, and it made the family very pleased. Her beef stroganoff was by far the family favorite. The kids explained what they were doing in math, and what cells were composed out of. They talked about their social lives and what their friends did recently. The parents discussed what to get the kids for Christmas, after all it was coming up soon. Families invited them to many parties alike for the holidays. So many things to do, yet there is so little time to do it all.

Before that, it was a sunny day out. It was an almost perfect day out, but something lingered in the air.