Prologue

I felt like my life was a disaster. I couldn't see the people that loved me most because this cruel world we call our own managed to make them die in tragedies that I can't even start to remember without a breakdown. But now I am all alone.

Being alone was something I couldn't have even imagined before. I was just a normal 16-year-old girl. My dad and I were laughing, taking road trips almost everywhere. My brother, Jared, was only 11 years old when we were ripped apart. And my mom, as beautiful as ever. She was smiling, laughing, and most of all...alive.

The bright morning sunlight shined in her dark brown, silky hair that looked a little reddish with a hint of gold at the right angle. Her wide smile beamed like the sunlight that hit my face through the window. And her dark brown, almost black, eyes had little specks of pureness that if you looked in them, they could make anyone smile.

Dad was still driving when he sighed and said, "Jared come join the real fun instead of that video game." Classic brother of course.

Mom asked, "What's the song for today Amber?"

"Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne," I responded.

I rolled down the windows for some fresh air. It was warm but with a nice breeze, practical fall weather in Georgia. And then I heard the song play, along with the melodious voice that belonged to my mother. Her soft voice was odd in comparison to the song that was playing. Her voice always sounded like a lullaby was playing in your ear. It had the ability to always make you feel relaxed and calm all around. When she sang, you could feel all the tension leave the car and feel your muscles going lower until they reached the natural position they were made to be in.

Jared was looking at me with worried eyes and I asked, "What's wrong?"

He responded, "Do you ever fear that we are going to be taken away from this?"

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"Maybe one-day people will just...rip us away from this. The songs, our parents, the happiness in general." He shrugged.

I grabbed his hand and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "People can always rip a family away from each other. But that doesn't matter because as long as we keep them in mind, our love still keeps us together. It's like a presence that we keep everywhere we go and as long as you remember us it's like we are still there with you. How do you think people survive in college?"

He gave a small chuckle and had a huge smile as radiant as my mothers. I let go of his hand and went back to listening to the music. As soon as I did, everything outside went gray, and plants started to die. I looked at the front of the car with worried eyes and I couldn't hear her beautiful voice.

I asked "Where's Mom?"

As soon as I asked that I started hearing her laughs. They were fading into a darkness that was up ahead in the road and I started to feel panic bubbling up in my chest. I couldn't scream. My throat was dry and blocked with something more than fear. It was blocked with sadness. Her laughs faded into nothing and then I was alone in the dark. And for the first time, I was alone. I couldn't hear the music, the laughs, the car engine. I couldn't even feel the cool breeze on my hand. I felt something strong grab at my back and then shot my eyes open from the horrible nightmare.