"I'm sorry… We tried everything possible, but we couldn't save them. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter are dead," the doctor said, his voice a low, heavy whisper.
*Thump. Thump. Thump.*
That was all I could hear. My heart pounded like a drum as the words sank in. Dead? No. This had to be a mistake. A dream.
Someone, please—wake me up. This can't be real. Not a reality—just a cruel, twisted nightmare.
---
**Eight Hours Earlier**
"You two look so good together, as always," I said to my parents through the wide screen of my laptop, smiling at the familiar sight of them side by side, holding hands across a picnic mat .
"Of course we do," my mom replied, her dimpled smile lighting up her face. "We're the perfect match. And thank God you're not here to steal my man on this cute little date."
That was my mother—dramatic, teasing, full of sass.
One thing I absolutely adored about my parents was the way they loved each other. They were best friends and soulmates. The way they looked at each other—so lost in love—was heartwarming, even if it made me roll my eyes sometimes. Their affection could be *cringe*, especially when they'd get so wrapped up in each other they forgot I existed… their *only* child.
"No, don't say that, Emma," my dad interrupted, grinning at me through the screen. "We always love and miss you, Zoey. Papa misses you so much—can't wait for you to come home for summer break."
"Yes, yes, fine. We do miss you," my mom added, her tone mockingly singsong.
"Okay," my dad said, "just be good and ace your exams. That way, we can finally go on that road trip you've been dreaming about."
We had always talked about visiting Niagara Falls together—just the three of us. It was a plan we'd been saving for, and I'd been counting down the days till summer. College was exhausting. The studying, the people, the pressure—I was sick of all of it.
"I can't wait," I said, my eyes warm. "I'm craving your pasta, Mom. So bad."
She laughed, and then they both waved.
"Okay, bye, Zoey. Talk soon," they said, and the screen went black.
Sighing, I returned to my study notes. I still had two exams left and needed to finish a research paper. As tired as I was, I wanted to make them proud.
"Bye, Zoey. I'm off to the cafeteria," my roommate Ariana called out as she grabbed her bag.
She was probably off on another campus date. Ariana was the embodiment of beauty and brains. Her energy lit up every room she entered, and people were drawn to her. You'd think she had it all—but her love life told a different story. For someone so warm and kind-hearted, she had the worst luck with men.
Every week, without fail, she ended up in my arms crying about someone who had broken her heart.
Hours passed. I was so engrossed in my research I didn't even hear the door open.
Ariana walked in, her large doe eyes brimming with tears.
Here we go again, I thought, glancing up from my laptop.
"Can you believe what that bastard said to me?" she cried, collapsing onto my bed.
"What happened?" I asked, barely looking away from the screen.
"He tried to grope me—in public. When I pushed him away, he called me a slut," she sobbed. "He said I was acting like I was special, and that it couldn't be anything new to me."
I slammed my laptop shut and walked over to her. Wrapping my arms around her, I said gently, "He's an idiot. Don't let him get to you. You don't deserve that."
She sniffled and snuggled closer, seeking comfort.
Just then, my phone began to vibrate. I looked at the screen—Dad.
"Hi, Dad!" I answered cheerfully, already excited to hear how their date went.
But the voice on the other end wasn't his.
"Hello… I'm sorry. The owners of this phone—Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter—have been involved in a ghastly car accident. They've been rushed to City Hospital."
My body froze.
"What?" I choked.
Ariana sat up straight, sensing something was wrong. "Zoey? What's going on?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't. I just started sobbing as I scrambled to grab my bus card and shoes.
I explained everything in broken sentences as I rushed out the door. Ariana wanted to come with me, but I insisted she stay. She had an exam in the morning, and I didn't want her to miss it.
Tears blurred my vision as I rode the bus to the hospital. A thousand horrible thoughts raced through my mind.
What if they didn't make it? What if I never got to say goodbye?
I sprinted into the hospital and straight to the front desk.
"I'm looking for Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter. They were brought in earlier today," I gasped, struggling to breathe.
"Please, calm down," the nurse said gently. "They're in the emergency room—still undergoing surgery."
I nodded, unable to speak.
"Please take a seat," she added, her eyes filled with sympathy.
But I couldn't sit. I leaned against the cold wall of the waiting room, whispering prayers under my breath. *Please, God. Please save them.*
They were my everything. My whole world.
Time dragged by, each second feeling like an hour.
Then finally—the red light above the operating room switched off.
My breath caught in my throat.
I ran to the door as it creaked open…
---
To be continued