Unforeseen Tragedy
Luke woke up in a hurry, his hand swaying back and forth as he fought to get ready for the day. Beads of sweat formed on his body, dampening the blue cloth of his singlet. With earpods connected to his phone, he jogged through the streets of Shadowfall, his morning routine in full swing.
As he jogged, he passed by Marinda and Lisa, two familiar faces on their own jogs. "Hey Marinda, hey Lisa," Samuel greeted them with a slight nod, his attention momentarily caught by Lisa's presence. Marinda responded with a quick "Hey, Luke," and the trio continued on their separate paths.
Back at home, Olivia was busy boiling water in the kettle. She poured some of the hot water into a mug, preparing tea for Samuel. "Morning, Mom," Luke greeted as he entered the house, a smile on his face. "Good morning, son," Olivia replied, her attention divided between her task and her son's presence. Samuel emerged from his room, still on a call, and Luke greeted him with a cheerful "Good morning, Dad." Samuel acknowledged Luke with a slight nod, his focus returning to the call.
"Morning, dear," Olivia greeted Samuel, trying to engage in conversation. However, Samuel's attention was elsewhere. "Sorry, dear. I have an urgent situation to attend to. It seems a drug lord I once put in jail has escaped. I'll see you tonight, and make sure to take some of my men with you when you go out. I don't want anything to happen to you," Samuel explained, his voice filled with concern.
Olivia nodded understandingly, accepting the gravity of the situation. "Alright, dear. Stay safe," she replied, her voice tinged with worry
"Alright, dear. I really have to go now," Samuel said, rushing towards the door.
"At least have some tea before you leave," Olivia insisted.
"Don't worry, dear. I really have to go," Samuel replied, making his way out in a hurry.
"It seems like he's really in a rush," Luke observed.
"Yeah," Olivia agreed.
"So, Mom, you're not going to work today?" Luke asked.
"Oh," Olivia checked her wristwatch, "I am, son. And it looks like I'm almost late for my shift at the hospital." She quickly drank some tea she had prepared. "If you're hungry, try preparing some food in the kitchen," Olivia suggested. "And don't forget, we're going to the mall later in the evening."
"Alright," Luke replied.
With nobody else at home, Luke decided it was the perfect time for some video games. He settled on the couch, connecting the TV to the game console and grabbing the PS game controller. He immersed himself in a football game, fully focused on the virtual field.
After a while, Luke paused the game and headed to the fridge to grab a cold drink. He settled back on the couch, continuing to play the game. Time flew by, and before he knew it, evening had arrived. Luke got dressed as planned, eagerly waiting for Olivia to pick him up for their trip to the mall.
While he waited, Luke sat down, plugged in his headphones, and got lost in the rhythm of the music.
As Olivia pulled up to the mall, she honked her car horn to get Luke's attention. Luke heard the sound and came out, greeting her with a casual "hi mom." Olivia asked if he was ready, to which Luke replied with a simple "yeah mom." However, his attention was quickly diverted when he noticed Lisa walking by. Luke quickly informed Olivia that he would be right back and headed towards Lisa.
Luke caught up to Lisa, calling out her name, but she continued walking without stopping. Undeterred, Luke walked alongside her and greeted her with a friendly "hi Luke." He mustered up the courage and asked if she would like to go to the cinema with him. Lisa seemed surprised by the invitation and sought clarification. Luke explained that there was an exciting new movie called "My Android Boyfriend" premiering tomorrow, and he happened to have two spare tickets. Lisa pondered for a moment and eventually agreed, responding with a simple "yeah, sure." Delighted by her response, Luke exclaimed, "Really?" Lisa confirmed her agreement, and Luke happily replied, "Cool, see you then." With a sense of anticipation, he returned to Olivia's car and shared the news with his mom.
Olivia and Luke arrived at the mall, excited to indulge in some retail therapy. As they browsed through the aisles, Luke's eyes lit up when he spotted some items that caught his fancy. Without hesitation, he decided to make a purchase.
With their shopping bags in tow, they made their way back to the car as the sun began to set. Luke plugged in his headphones, immersing himself in a song, while Olivia couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.
Suddenly, their peaceful moment was shattered when a car careened into the parking lot, followed by two others. Olivia was about to honk her horn in frustration, but her annoyance turned to fear as she noticed a group of armed men emerging from the vehicles.
Reacting swiftly, Olivia lunged towards Luke, pulling him down and urging him to take cover. "Get down, Luke!" she whispered urgently. Bullets rained down on their car, shattering the windshield, as the notorious drug lord , who had recently escaped from prison, stepped out of one of the vehicles.
"Make sure you eliminate them all!" he commanded, his voice dripping with malice. But Olivia and Luke were not alone. The soldiers assigned to protect them sprang into action, returning fire with precision and determination.
Amidst the chaos, one of the soldiers approached Olivia's car, urging her to seize the opportunity and drive through their protective shield. It was a risky move, but Olivia knew that their only chance of survival lay in following the soldier's guidance.
Olivia and Luke stood outside the car, Olivia opening the door while Luke stepped out. As he turned to help her, he realized she wasn't with him. Luke glanced back and saw Olivia's clothing caught on a car part. She struggled to free herself, tugging at the fabric.
"Come on, Mom, let's go," Luke urged, his voice filled with urgency.
"Alright, son, I'm coming," Olivia replied, her words cut short by a sudden explosion. A gunshot rang through the air, striking the car and causing it to burst into flames. Olivia was thrown back, impaled by a tree branch that pierced her stomach. Blood trickled down as her last words hung in the air, "Run, son."
The weight of Luke's tragic past hit him like a wave, his head heavy and his eyes overflowing with tears. He screamed out in anguish, the sound echoing through the nearby forest.
Gunshots pierced the air, mixing with Luke's cries. He glanced back and saw the men, the drug lord's henchmen, closing in on him. Without hesitation, he sprinted away, tears streaming down his face.
The men had their sights set on Luke, one of them taking aim and firing. The bullet struck Luke's right chest, but he refused to stop. He pushed through the pain, running with all his might. Eventually, his body gave out, and he fell to the ground, unable to continue. Crawling forward, his blood staining the earth, he fought to stay alive.
As then In the depths of the forest, a figure emerged from the shadows, their presence shrouded in darkness. Luke, his eyes adjusting to the gloom, strained to make out the person before him, their features concealed by the veil of night. Gasping for breath, his life slipping away, Luke reached out, his final hope resting on this mysterious stranger.