"I'm finally nine!" Alex exclaimed as he jumped out of bed. He ran down the two flights of stairs of his parents' well-furnished duplex, his socks sliding on the polished wooden steps.
At the dining table, his dad looked up from the newspaper and smiled.
"Good morning, son," he greeted.
"Good morning, Dad!" Alex replied, sliding into the chair beside him.
His mum walked out of the kitchen with a tray of toasted bread and orange juice.
"Good morning, Ally," she said warmly, using his pet name. She placed the tray on the table and began serving breakfast.
"Please, can we go to the park today?" Alex asked, his mouth full of bread.
"If that's what you want, then fine," his mum replied, opening the fridge. "But you need to hurry up, or you'll miss the bus."
Alex grinned and ate faster.
"Hold on," his dad said. "We prepared a gift for you. It's on the bed."
Alex's eyes lit up. He darted up the stairs, ran through the corridor, and entered his parents' room. On the bed sat a medium-sized gift box wrapped neatly in blue paper. He tore it open eagerly.
Inside was a brand-new Nintendo Switch—the one he'd been begging for—three tickets to a movie he'd been dying to see, and a framed picture of his family. On the back of the picture, in his mother's handwriting, were the words: "The best son ever."
Alex smiled so wide his cheeks hurt. From the top of the stairs, he called, "Thanks for the gift!"
"Get ready for school!" his dad replied.
Still humming with excitement, Alex ran into his room, clutching the box. "I am nine, I am nine…" he sang as he showered. Minutes later, he was dressed and ready.
His parents waited for him on the front porch, smiling proudly. His mum locked the door while his dad started the car. Morning sunlight spilled across the driveway as they drove off to school.
The schoolyard buzzed with activity—parents dropping off their kids, teachers hurrying to class.
"Be a good boy, okay?" his mum said, adjusting his tie.
"I will," Alex replied, opening the car door. He waved as they drove away, his heart full of joy.
Inside the hallway, his best friend Felicity ran up to him, beaming.
"Alex! Happy birthday!" She unzipped her backpack and pulled out a drawing book and a set of fancy pens. "Here. I got you this."
"Thanks," Alex said, taking the gift.
"It's not much, but you like drawing, and it was the first thing I thought of."
"No, it's perfect! My parents also got me a Nintendo Switch. We should play it sometime."
"That sounds awesome!"
The bell rang, echoing through the hallway.
"See you after school!" Felicity said, running off.
"See you too!" Alex replied.
Hours passed quickly. When school ended, children flooded outside, laughing and shouting as they spotted their parents. One by one, they left—until only a few students remained.
Alex sat on a bench, his backpack at his feet, glancing at the road every few seconds. His parents still hadn't arrived. He frowned slightly. They'd never been this late.
Felicity, whose parents often came late, stepped out of the building and spotted him.
"Alex? Are your parents coming?" she asked, sitting beside him.
"They should be here soon," he said, trying to sound confident. "I just have to wait a little longer."
Minutes dragged into hours. The sky darkened. Felicity's parents finally pulled up.
"Felicity! Come on, time to go!" her dad called.
"Coming!" she said. She turned to Alex. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Have fun tonight!"
Alex nodded and waved as she got into the car.
When they drove off, silence settled over the schoolyard. Alex stared down the empty road, hugging his backpack.
"They're probably just stuck in traffic," he whispered. But his voice trembled.
Headlights suddenly cut through the dusk. A black Mercedes pulled up beside him.
"Aunt Anna!" Alex exclaimed, relief flooding his chest.
"Alex, get in," his aunt said quickly.
He climbed into the passenger seat, sensing something was wrong. Her face was pale, her hands gripping the steering wheel too tightly.
"What's wrong, Aunt Anna? Why do you look worried?" he asked.
She didn't answer. The engine roared to life, and the car sped off into the night.
The car sped down the quiet streets, the sound of the tires humming softly beneath them. The golden glow of evening spilled through the windows, painting the dashboard in orange streaks.
Alex glanced at his aunt. She hadn't said a single word since he got in. Her lips were pressed together tightly, and her eyes looked distant—like she was somewhere else entirely.
"Aunt Anna?" he tried again, his voice small. "Where's Mom and Dad? Did something happen?"
Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel. She took a shaky breath.
"They… they couldn't come to pick you up," she said softly.
Alex frowned. "Why? Are they okay?"
Aunt Anna's eyes glistened. "Alex, sweetheart… there was an accident."
Alex's stomach dropped. "An accident?" he repeated. "What kind of accident?"
She didn't look at him. "A car crash. It happened this afternoon."
The world around him seemed to stop. The sound of the car, the hum of the city outside—all of it faded into silence.
"No," he whispered, shaking his head. "No, that can't be true. You're lying. You're lying!"
"Alex—"
"Stop the car!" he cried, his voice cracking. "I want to go home! I want to see them!"
Tears welled in Aunt Anna's eyes. She slowed the car and pulled over to the side of the road. Turning toward him, she placed a trembling hand on his shoulder.
"Alex, they're gone," she said gently. "I'm so, so sorry."
Alex stared at her, tears blurring his vision. The words didn't make sense. Gone? How could they be gone? They were just smiling that morning. His mum had made breakfast. His dad had said happy birthday.
He pressed his forehead against the car window, trying to hold back the sob that rose in his throat. Outside, the sun was setting—the same sun that had risen on the happiest morning of his life.
But now, everything felt cold. Empty.
Aunt Anna rested her hand on his back, silent tears running down her cheeks. Neither of them
spoke as the car began to move again, heading toward a future that suddenly felt uncertain and dark.