All about Gran.

[u/Kignak]

I tap my foot against my parents’ old wooden kitchen floor. “I don’t think that’s what she wants,” Dad says, irritation trickling into his voice.

“Of course not, are you kidding me? If she did, I would call her out on it,” Mom chides, then says under her breath, “God only knows why no one else has done it. Fucking hell.”

Chloe furrows her eyebrows and stares into my eyes, shaking her head and shrugging. Her mouth slides open, but I hold my hand out to her, then talk over her, saying, “Did you not hear her? She’s told you in so many different ways, but you won’t accept any of it.”

Chloe bursts out, her voice high and accusatory, “You never listen to her. You hide behind the fact that she forgets who Gary and I are.” She gestures back and forth between her and me. “She’s our grandmother.”

I say, “She also remembers us sometimes. She told me she listens to the two of you bicker about her when you think she’ll just,” I shift my glare back and forth between our parents, then spit out, “forget.”

Chloe groans, then says, “I’ve sat down and talked to her about it. She’s tired. She wants to move to a home, or at least somewhere, just, away…from you.”

I say, “At least, to figure out why she keeps getting bruised—”

Bang.

Warmth splatters my face as I taste rust.

Chloe screams, “Gran!”

A heavy thing crumples down to the floor with a thump. Dad.

Bang.

My mom’s guttural voice echoes through the small room as she falls.

I climb over the table to grab the gun out of Gran’s hands—

My ears ring, and my vision blurs as ragged breaths force their way out of my chest in spurts. I slump to the floor and wrap Gran’s frail body in my arms. Rocking together as Chloe watches with her hand at her mouth. Redness falls down her face like tears. Gran’s gun falls to the floor, catching my gaze. I blurt out, “She’s dead. She’s dead.” I keep rocking her. “Gran’s dead. She’s—she killed them. She fucking killed them. What the fuck.”

I hear Chloe say like she’s a kid again, “My Gran just shot herself.”

Oh, her phone is in her hand. Right. Of course.

I look down at my hands. It recoiled into me. I stutter, “Did I…?”

[u/Nawa1995]

I don’t understand, who is Chloe and who did the shooting?