Survivor

Epilogue

A scream escaped my mouth as I clutched onto his arm. The wind was blowing through my face and fear boiled through my blood. "No!!! Stop!!!" I screamed into the oblivion as I my stomach dropped and I fell towards the earth, the seatbelt being the only thing keeping me from flying. I was never a fan of rollercoasters but the sheer adrenaline pumping through my body was a feeling I would never forget. As we came to a stop my sister and I turned to my dad and cried, "Again, again!" We laughed together and dad smiled his cheeky smile at us and whispered, "Okay, just one more." My nine-year-old self shrieked with excitement. This was a tradition we had with dad. Every year he would take Saba and I to Coney Island and we would have the time of our lives.

When the wind finally started to chill we knew the day was coming to an end. My heart sank at the thought of leaving the park and going home again. Right before we were about to leave dad said we could each choose a lolly. Saba and I shared a secret glance knowing that we were each going to choose the biggest one we could find to make the day last that little bit longer. Dad sat us down on the bench under the last light of day and gave us huge hugs then said something to us that I would never forget. "Girls, remember, no matter what happens, I will love you forever! I cherish every moment we spend together and you mean more than the world to me." The three of us shared memories from that day that would last a lifetime and Saba and I both hugged and embraced him. I gave Dad the biggest bear hug my 9-year-old self could and whispered to him, "I love you too Dad, forever!"

Chapter 1: Monday (Genesis)

"Dear Diary,

I'm not going to try hiding it; these last few months have been the worst of my life. Losing your dad is not the easiest of things to go through. At times I felt like I was slowly sinking in a ship with no escape. My sister, Saba, and I were at school when it happened. I was in 10th grade and Saba was just starting her first year of college. The memory hasn't faded at all. It sit's in the back of my mind like a constant cancer that isn't able to be cured.

School had just started and it was a crisp Monday morning in Brooklyn. I was on my way to first period when I heard my name over the loudspeaker. 'Genesis Wood, can you please make your way to the office.' My heart skipped a beat and all the other kids turned to look at me. The whispering started and it stayed in my ears all the way there. At that time I had no idea why I was being called but I had this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was terribly wrong.

I found the courage somewhere in me to raise my arm and knock on the heavy wooden door. I heard footsteps making their way slowly towards me and the creaking of the handle as the door opened. In front of me was my sister sitting in a chair. To every other person it would have looked like a very normal scenario but Saba was white as a ghost with no colour in her eyes. The teachers didn't look worried, so what ever had happened they had no idea. She ran to my side and wrapped her warm arms around me. In that split second it felt like everything was going to be ok. I was covered in a blanket of love and safety in my sister's arms. 'Come Gen, were going home.' She said to me in a shaky voice.

The walk to the car was long and stretched out. I tried to ask what was going on but every time I spoke Saba just shook her head. 'Not yet' she said with quivering lips. When we finally reached the car where nobody could see us she broke down. Tears spilled down her face like a waterfall, beautiful but completely out of control. 'Gen, dad's been in an accident,' she said to me through the sobs. 'I'm so sorry!' I don't really remember what happened after that. All I know is that I was crying or screaming or maybe both. Saba was running her hands through my hair and cradling me like she did when I was only a child. Nothing was the same after that moment.