*
Cairo appeared in her mother's bedroom doorway in time to see her drop the Derringer to the floor, she saw Susan begin to squeeze her trigger,
“No, no, No! Don't take my mother!” She screamed and ran across the room in front of Eve.
The sudden movement took Susan by surprise; she turned ever so slightly and pulled her shot. The bullet ploughed a thin furrow across Eve’s scalp grazing her skull. Cairo turned on Susan, blazing furiously she grabbed a heavy unbroken perfume bottle from the dresser and hurled it at her. It struck Susan on the temple instantly knocking her senseless and raising a lump, she slumped in the corner hidden by the bed.
“Mother? Mother? Are you all right?” Cairo was dreadfully upset and stood before Eve wringing her hands, tears poised in each eye.
Eve felt her scalp, her fingertips turned red and a thin trickle of blood ran down her face,
“I think so.” She replied sounding slightly dazed. Cairo grabbed her hand,
“We must go! There are men all over the house!” Cairo urged Eve to her feet. Eve shook her hand free,
“Yes, we must leave. But I just want to finish something off first!” She picked up a broken bottle and moved towards Susan.
“No mother! We haven't the time! We must go now!” Cairo pulled Eve by the arm out of the room, she was still too stunned to resist and allowed herself to be led, still clutching the broken bottle, along the corridor to the top of the main staircase.