Chapter 1: A Tragic End

Soham gazed out the car window, watching the trees rush past in a blur of green. The mountain road twisted and turned, climbing higher into the clouds. His mother hummed along tunelessly with the radio while his father kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"Are we there yet?" Soham asked for the hundredth time.

"Just a little longer, dear," his mother replied gently.

Soham sighed, leaning his head against the window frame. They had been driving for hours already, leaving the city far behind. His parents had promised adventure, but so far all he saw were endless trees.

Closing his eyes, Soham pictured himself in one of his treasured fantasy tales instead. He imagined vanquishing goblins, befriending elves, hunting dragons and saving beautiful princesses. A small smile crossed his face as he mentally constructed a thrilling quest, becoming the storied hero.

"We've arrived!" announced his father, jolting Soham from his daydream. They had pulled off the road to a small dirt trailhead. Thick forest surrounded them on all sides, the misty mountains looming overhead.

"Grab your pack and let's hit the trail," said his mother eagerly. "It's just a short hike to the waterfall."

Soham reluctantly shouldered his backpack. He wished they could have visited somewhere more exciting, like an amusement park. But his parents loved hiking adventures together.

The wide trail soon turned steep and narrow, with rocky outcrops and twisted roots. Soham struggled over the difficult terrain as his parents nimbly led on ahead. After an arduous hour, the trees opened up to reveal a breathtaking waterfall cascading into a pristine pool. His parents gazed at the view in delight while Soham just felt bone-tired relief.

As his parents ate a snack, Soham wandered closer to the waterfall, losing himself in its beauty and primal power. He didn't notice the darkening skies overhead until the wind picked up sharply and the temperature dropped. Soham shivered, glancing around uneasily as the once-idyllic setting took on a sinister aura.

His parents hastily packed up their belongings, noticing the impending storm. "We need to start back now!" his father urged. As the family set off down the trail, the skies unleashed a torrential downpour, crackling with thunder and lightning.

The heavy rain reduced visibility to just a few feet. The muddy trail became a churning stream, sweeping along loose rocks and branches. Soham struggled to stay upright as the freezing deluge completely soaked him. Squinting ahead, he could barely make out his parents' outlines as they forged on determinedly.

Just as salvation seemed within reach, a low rumble from above made Soham's blood run cold. Looking skyward, he saw a massive landslide of rock and debris hurtling down the mountainside directly at them.

"Mom!" he cried out in warning, but it was too late. Soham leapt towards his parents right as the landslide hit, burying them instantly. An eerie silence followed, broken only by the soft patter of rain.

Soham gradually regained consciousness, pinned down in darkness underneath the crushing weight of the boulders. "Mom? Dad?" he called weakly, but no reply came. Utterly alone, his short life flashed before his eyes as he drew one final, shuddering breath. The light faded from his vision entirely as death embraced him.