In the dim light of a rainy forest, a six years old girl, who seems to be the younger sister stumbled through the underbrush, her vision blurred by the relentless downpour. The trees around her loomed like dark, silent sentinels, their leaves heavy with rain. Suddenly, piercing through the patter of raindrops, she heard her 18 year old big sister’s screams—a guttural, heart-wrenching sound that cut through the forest's tranquil façade. Each cry seemed to carry a desperate, raw pain, echoing with an urgency that sent shivers down her spine.
The younger sister's breath caught in her throat, her footsteps faltering as she struggled to discern the direction of the cries. Her eyes, clouded with tears and rain, made it hard to see clearly. She tried to call out, but her voice was swallowed by the storm, leaving her feeling helpless and disoriented. The forest, once a place of refuge, now felt menacing, its shadows concealing the source of her sister’s torment. Her heart raced as she fought to move forward, driven by the desperate need to find her sister and offer any help she could.
In the midst of the stormy forest, the younger sister’s cries for help were swallowed by the relentless downpour and the roar of the wind. Her voice, hoarse and desperate, was lost amid the cacophony of the rain and the rustling trees. She ran blindly through the thick underbrush, her path obscured by the heavy rain and her own growing panic.
Her foot caught on a hidden rock, and she was thrown violently to the ground. Her head struck a stone with a sickening thud, and darkness engulfed her as she lost consciousness.
When she awoke, the rain had lessened to a heavy drizzle. Her dress was soaked with blood, the once vibrant fabric now dark and stained. She sat up shakily, her heart pounding with fear and confusion. Panic surged as she scanned her surroundings, trying to make sense of the scene.
Her gaze fell upon her dearest big sister’s lifeless body a short distance away. The sight was unbearable: her sister’s dress was tattered and stained with blood, her body covered in numerous wounds from which blood still flowed heavily. The once protective and reassuring figure of her sister now lay still, a vision of brutality and despair. The younger sister’s sobs, filled with horror and grief, were the only sounds in the desolate, rain-slicked forest, their echoes swallowed by the oppressive silence.
The six-year-old younger sister clung to her big sister’s lifeless body, her small arms wrapped tightly around her, as if her embrace could somehow bring her back. Her face was streaked with mud and tears, her dress stained with blood from her own earlier fall. Her cries were desperate, filled with a child's hope and heartbreak, as she called out for her sister to wake up. "Please, wake up!" she begged, her voice breaking and trembling in the cold, wet air. But there was no response, only the silence of the forest and the heavy, unmoving stillness of her sister.
As she sobbed, she noticed faint, distant lights flickering through the trees. Shadows moved among the lights, and she could hear distant shouts, muffled by the storm. Her tiny, trembling body grew weaker, and her head began to droop. The lights seemed to waver and blur, their reassuring promise of rescue growing fainter.
Despite her efforts to stay awake, exhaustion and the effects of her fall took their toll. Her cries grew softer, her small frame trembling as she fought to stay conscious. The last thing she saw before succumbing to darkness was the distant figures drawing nearer, their voices growing louder but still too far away to reach her. As she lost consciousness, she remained tightly embraced around her sister, her tiny body huddled against the cold, lifeless form, hoping that her warmth might somehow be enough to bring her sister back.
The younger sister slowly stirred, her eyes fluttering open, squinting against the bright lights of the hospital room. Her body felt heavy, weak, and every breath was a struggle, but she was awake. As her vision adjusted, she noticed her father lying on the nearby sofa, his arm draped over his eyes, his cheeks stained with dried tears. He looked utterly exhausted, broken, as if the weight of the world was crushing him. She glanced around the room, realising her mother and brother were nowhere in sight.
With a faint, barely audible voice, she called out, “Dad…” Her words were soft, almost a whisper, but enough to pull him from his restless slumber. He jolted up, eyes wide and frantic, as he turned to her, his face a mixture of shock, disbelief, and overwhelming relief. Tears of joy filled his eyes as he saw his baby girl awake. He rushed to her side, reaching out to hold her tiny hands, kissing them repeatedly, unable to contain his gratitude and love. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re awake! How are you feeling? Are you in pain?”
She barely registered his questions, her mind clouded with memories of the incident. Summoning what little strength she had, she looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with a fragile hope. “Dad… my sister… where is she? Is she okay?”
Her father’s face fell instantly, his expression darkening with a deep, unspeakable grief. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled to find the words, his silence more painful than anything he could say. He squeezed her hands tightly, his voice breaking. “I’m so sorry… she… she didn’t make it. She’s gone. It happened on the spot…”
The words hit her like a punch to the gut, each syllable shattering the last remnants of hope she clung to. She stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief, and then the tears began to flow. Silent, endless tears. She didn’t make a sound; there were no screams, no wails—just a quiet, heartbreaking acceptance of the truth that her beloved sister was no longer in this world. Her father continued to hold her hands, but no comfort could reach the depths of her despair. In that moment, they grieved together, connected by their shared pain, yet each lost in their own sorrow.
Overwhelmed by the crushing weight of grief, the younger sister closed her eyes, allowing the silent tears to stream down her cheeks. She couldn’t find the words to express the devastation she felt, so she said nothing. Instead, she retreated into the darkness behind her eyelids, seeking some form of escape from the unbearable reality that her sister was gone.Then, a sudden, shrill beeping pierced through the silence—a sound that felt out of place. Her mesmerising brown eyes snapped open, but instead of the sterile hospital room, she found herself in her room.
