1 Tragedy

At last the class ended. I was too excited to go home. Tonight, mom and her baby will be discharged from the hospital. I really love to have new little brother. I promise that I will take care of him always. I can't wait to see his cutie face. Dad will fetch them so I need to get ahead of them before they came home. For now, I need to ride a bus which is not usual for me because I always walk when going home though it took me forty five minutes walking than riding a bus which only takes fifteen minutes. Sitting on the bus, I can't stop my excitement, I have plans already, I'll give mom and my baby brother a surprise welcome home party .

It's good the bus driver drove fast and now I got out of the bus and will only walk few meters to the house which is in a subdivision here at Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina.

When I got home it was already 6pm, no one's home. I saw a letter on the fridge door, "Don't be too excited but I know you are. We might take long time, so don't wait for us and eat your dinner. -Love Dad. "

No way I'm not waiting for them. I will not sleep unless I see them first tonight. First I gotta make some banner, I cooked spaghetti which is my specialty and ordered cake.

Everything's in place and ready, now I'm preparing my voice for a loud welcome yell. It's 7:55pm already, I sat on the sofa and wait for the sound of car engine to come then I'll go to the door and open it for mom and dad and of course my new baby brother.

After five minutes sitting on the sofa, the phone rings. I answered it, and it was dad calling.

"Hey Sayu, we're on our way already. Sorry for the wait." Dad said.

"Oh no no, it's ok dad. I don't mind waiting, you knew I just wanted to see mom and my baby brother already." I replied quirkily.

"Ok, your mom and I were so glad for you. Bye for now. We love you."

"I know dad. Just come home fast. I love you all too. "

I heard dad hung the phone. So now I just need to be patient, I sat again on the couch and wait.

Oh no, I'd fallen asleep, I peeked outside the window to see any car, and nothing, they're not yet here. I looked at the watch and it reads 10:00pm. I felt nervousness, why are they taking so long, the hospital is not that too far. Actually I'd been there when I went with mom to have her monthly check-up when she was still pregnant. It only took us 1hr drive going there or going back home. Something might have happened to them. Not good, I'm becoming paranoid, maybe they passed some place, or maybe they'd eaten dinner already. Yeah, that might be the case. But they should have called me. No, no, no they were just busy and forgot to call me. Ok I'll still wait or maybe I need to be the one to call them.

So I took the phone and dialled dad's number. It's not ringing. I dialled again, it ringed. Please dad answer it. It ringed many times but dad didn't answer. I dialled repeatedly, it ringed but dad didn't answer. What's his problem? Did he put his phone in silent mode? No, I think it's me who has problem. Dad must be busy driving and he cannot answer his phone that's why.

Thirty minutes passed, it was 10:30pm. I'm not comfortable in my sit so I walked back and forth. It's when the phone ringed, I got it immediately and answered.

"Hello Dad, I hate you, I knew you had your dinner without me. Why didn..." I was cut off when the voice on the other line speak.

"Excuse me. Is this the daughter of Mr. Hamasaki I'm talking to?" the man asked.

"Yes, I am Sayu. Who is this? Did something happen?" I spoke , my voice began shaking and I can feel my heart on my ear.

"I'm Agent Cleve, I'm sorry to tell you Miss Sayu. The car that your father was driving and where your mother also was, fell down the creek here just two kilometers from Gaston Memorial Hospital where your parents came from."

It took me minutes to absorb what Agent Cleve had said. "What are you saying. That's not true. Please say that's not true..." I felt my tears escaping my burning eyes.

"We're trying our best to get down, and we can't confirm yet if they're still alive." The police added.

"No! Don't say that, please save them..." I shouted demanding the officer.

"Ok Ms. Sayu, we'll call you again and inform you of any progress."

"Wait, wait please. My brother, my baby brother, please save him too." I said almost shouting.

"Yes, we'll save your brother too.."

I can hear from the voice of Agent Cleve losing hope and chance. I can't believe it all. This is not happening. What I'm gonna do? My voice becoming raspy from crying.

I went upstairs to my bedroom and changed clothes. I wore sweater and pants. Then I took the key of our other car. I knew how to drive already, but dad won't allow me to use the car when going to school until I turned 18.

In a minute I got inside the car and drive fast to where the accident happened. While driving I can't stop myself from crying. My tears is blurring my sight. I immediately wipe them for me to see the road clearly.

It took me only few minutes to drive going there, and then I saw many police cars and an ambulance. I went straightway to the ambulance, and I saw a body on the stretcher. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath hoping it's not my mom or dad's.

I open my eyes, hope that I should have not seen the painful truth unfolding right in front of me. I can't take it anymore. I took a few steps back and I run away from there, from all the people, not wanting them to see me like this, and show them my weakness.

I run not thinking of anything else, only the pain and sadness I'm feeling right now. When I realized I'm already in front of our house. I went straight to my room and cried on my pillow all night till I've fallen asleep. I even hope my tears can drown me and help me forget my pain...

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Hello everyone, hope you like it. I'd really want to hear your thoughts. It's just an intro and of course there're many surprises to come..

Arigatou!