Last Breath

Prologue

Pain. That was the only feeling chorusing through Cierra's body on this cloudy Sunday afternoon. She didn't want to face it. She wanted to run away from what stood in front of her. Something she could not bear to face at the tender age of 12.

She could taste a salty liquid at the side of her mouth as tears fell like a waterfall from her eyes. This couldn't be happening... could it? In her head she's pleading for someone to tell her this was all a sick joke, to wake her up from this nightmare but neither of that came. This was real.

Making no attempt to wipe her tears, she clutched her black fingerless gloved fists with her head hanging down. She dared not look up, lest she saw the scene. She could not face the reality of them being lowered into the ground. It was too much.

Turning her body as she felt a hand on her shoulder, Cierra's apple-green eyes met those of her older brothers'. He was struggling to hold back his tears, failing just as much as she was. His eyes reflecting but three emotions; concern for her, overwhelming sadness at what currently stood in front of them, and confusion. The fact that he had no idea what was going to happen after this. Everything was going to change.

Both of their gazes turned back to the risen platform where their eldest brother had just concluded his speech. He too, had tears streaming down his face as he walked towards them purposefully. It was finally over and all the three siblings wanted to do was to go home to curl up into a ball.

"Cierra, Jasper, let's go..." Nathaniel spoke in a voice that was hardly audible.

Cierra and Jasper followed Nathaniel towards his car. None of them uttered a word as they drove back home. The only sounds were the hum of the car's engine and the occasional sniffs of the noses. By the end of the ride, everyone was stiff.

It happened. They were alone to fend for themselves now. There was no turning the clock back. Their parents were dead.